The High School Chronicles
by LolaAtkinburg
Summary: AU. Sakura, Hinata, Ino, Tenten and Temari. High School. This is where the drama starts. Rated for language. ShikaTema, NaruHina, SasuSaku, NejiTen, SaiIno, KakaAnko and SuiKa (in later chapters).
1. Episode One: Orientation

A/N: Due to some formatting issues, i have finally came round to insert scene breakers into the chapters... this is going to be troublesome.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

* * *

"RING!" The screeching sound shot into the air waking 5 very sleepish teens.

"Damn it Sakura," Tenten groaned from under her blanket, "turn it off!"

Sakura agilely raised her hands from under the pillow shifting it across the bedside table knocking everything down.

"It's not with me fucktard," she moaned.

"Then where the fuck is it bitch?" Ino argued with her eyes still shut.

Hinata pushed herself up from her bed and with half closed eyes scanned the room for the freaking thing.

"C'mon it's pissing me off," Temari muttered, "where the hell is it?"

She got out of her bed and stumbled around the room following the ring.

It was messy, clothes draped and lied around every single corner. Cans of soda and boxes of pizza buried the floor board.

"There Temari," Hinata pointed to a corner, "there."

Temari followed Hinata's direction and retrieved the buzzing alarm clock from under the mountain of unwashed laundry. She slammed the clock against the wall and it stopped its ringing.

She casually looked at the time.

"8:05am," she thought, "what the- 8:05am?"

"FUCK," she screamed, "IT'S FREAKING BROAD DAYLIGHT!"

"WHAT?" the other girls shouted in union.

"8 freaking 05am!" she repeated.

Without a word the other girls stumbled out of the beds and went for the bathroom. Briskly they brushed their teeth and washed their face. The smelt each others armpits for a smell check though it is kind of gross.

They got changed and grabbed their school bags, not uttering a single word in the process. When they're all done, they glanced at each other and smiled.

It felt good, to be surrounded by your closest sisters, even if you're not related by blood. They are so different yet they agree on most things, like fashion, school and well, boys.

Tenten, the daredevil of the group. She excels in sports, especially in soccer. Her wardrobe consists mainly of traditional Chinese silk tops and 3/4 jeans. Whereas her hair is normally seen in two buns, which gives her the nickname 'panda bear'.

Sakura is the academically inclined one in the group. Her grades are the best among the five and topped the level in middle school. She has natural pink hair and matches them with tops of different shades of red and a pair of faded jeans.

Hinata can be called the most naïve in the group, she doesn't say any impurities unlike her friends but doesn't mind listening to them. Her talent lies in her magnificent skills to paint any object that comes to mind. She owns an uncountable amount of jackets and a few pairs of skinny jeans. Her blueberry hair is constantly down and has lilac eyes.

Temari is the most down- to- earth among the 5. She likes watching movies and directing them. Her sandy blonde hair is normally tied into 4 pigtails and wears dark colored clothes. In her wardrobe you can find multiple tank tops in the shades of black and purple, colored tights, lots of fishnets, tons of denim skirts and a few oversized jackets.

Lastly Ino, the flirtatious one. She doesn't care about her education and finds fun in sight- seeing- for boys. The only girl in the group that has ever had a boyfriend. Her clothes are all in the shades of purple and owns mountains of denim shorts. The light blond hair is usually done up in a ponytail.

The girls got into their jeep, Sakura and Tenten at the front, Hinata and Temari at the back with Ino ledged on the metal bar between Temari and Hinata.

"High School here we come," Sakura shouted.

* * *

The girls had already arrived and are settled in the school hall. They sat side by side, two rows away from the front. The hall was already filled with high school freshmen waiting for their principal to arrive with her welcome speech.

"Hey look," Ino, who was the closest to the aisle nudges Hinata beside her.

Every girl in the hall screamed like hell when they saw who was coming down the aisle: 4 guys with pale white skin.

"Who are they?" Tenten shouted above the noise.

Ino turned back with an astonished face, "oh my god! How can you not know them? They're the hottest, richest and coolest guys I have ever set eyes on!"

Tenten gave Temari, who was sitting next to her, a face.

"Don't look at me," Temari shook her head, "I have no idea."

Hinata and Sakura doesn't seem to have a clue either. It was only Ino with her teenage girl syndrome that made her the odd on out.

* * *

"Women are troublesome," a boy near the back of the hall told his potato chip eating buddy, "fan girls are a pain."

His friend shoved another chip into his already full, "This is a new year, Shikamaru. Positive thoughts."

"Whatever you say Chouji, whatever you say."

* * *

"This is it guys!" Lee jumped up from his chair, "this is the year we'll get ourselves girlfriends!"

"Lee, chill," Kiba pulled him back down, "you're scaring me."

Naruto stared at Kiba intentively. After awhile Kiba got the creeps and turned to Natuo.

"Stop that!" Kiba demanded.

"Tell me," Naruto said, still staring, "where did those red stuff on your face come from?"

Kiba touched his face, "you mean the tattoo?"

Lee jumped up from his chair again, screaming.

Naruto's jaw dropped.

"What the hell?" Naruto yelled, "tattoo on you face?"

"What the hell?" Kiba mimicked Naruto, "why the hell do you have whiskers, kitty cat?"

"Meow," Lee purred for effect.

* * *

Two boys at the last row, quiet sat there, without saying a word. One had red hair which covered a tattoo on the forehead. The other had brown hair with black overalls.

Silently, they watched the roaring crowd, screaming at the four boys walking down the aisle.

"What's so great about those guys anyway?" Kankuro, the brown haired one spoke, "I mean, so what if his freaking rich? We're richer!"

The red haired remained quiet.

"If I'm not wrong that guy on the far left, the one with dark blue hair and shades is called Shino," Kankuro recalled, " and the one beside him, the one with spikey dark blue hair is Sasuke. The other guy beside him is Sai, the palest of them all and that last boy, Neji, long, black glossy hair. Kinda gay, don't you think?"

The other boy ignored his question, "do you think _she's_ one the foolish girls screaming after them?"

"Nah, Gaara," Kankuro said, "she not _that_ foolish."

* * *

"Stop it Ino," Sakura slapped her, "breathe!"

"It's not that big of a deal they're in the same class," Temari said.

Ino stood up an look Temari in the eye, "we're so lucky to be in the same class. I thought this day could never be better! But yes, it has! They're all in our class! All four of them, Shino, Neji, Sai and…" she did as exasperated sigh, "Sasuke!"

Temari's eyebrows twitched a little with disgust, "okay…I get it, Sasuke's yours. Me no touchy."

"So I'm guessing you would want to snag a sit next to lover boy?" Tenten asked.

Ino saw what she meant, Sasuke had an open seat next to him. Sitting next to someone does build an relationship. Quickly she dash forth toward Sasuke to slide into that holy seat of endless bliss.

"Well we better get our seats then," Temari sighed.

Thankfully, they got the closest seat to where Sasuke and, now, Ino were sitting. Temari and Tenten behind them and Sakura and Hinata beside them.

Neji was next to Sai, in the row in front of Sasuke's. Shino was an aisle away from Neji and Sai, and was miserably sitting next to Naruto. Naruto's two other friends, Kiba and Lee, were next to him, the closest to the door. Two rows behind them were brothers, Gaara and Kankuro. In front the two of them is Anko, recalcitrant, held back for 5 years.

"So, a class of 17," a white haired male walked into the class, "an odd number."

He turned to face the class. They soon discovered that he had a mask over his mouth and nose, and looked incredibly young to have full grown white hair.

"I'm Kakashi, you're new form teacher," Kakashi said, "called me Kakashi sen- sei," he rolled his eyes, "duh. Any questions?"

He looked around the silent classroom then smiled, "No? Ok great, let get on with life and introduce ourselves, we're going in an S shape round the classroom starting with you."

Kiba stood up, realizing that Kakashi had just pointed at him, "I'm Kiba Inuzuka, I like dogs and I hate this school cause they don't allow any pets to enter."

"I'll call you… dog boy," Kakashi said, "next."

Lee stood up, "Good Morning my youthful buddies, I'm Rock Lee, I like workouts and I hope to get a girlfriend by this year."

All the girls laughed out loud at Lee's statement.

"Right…" Kakashi nodded his head slowly, "desperate boy."

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki, I like ramen and I hope to be class president."

"You're ramen boy then, next."

"I'm Shino Aburame, I like bugs and matrix."

"…Matrix dude…"

"I'm Neji Hyuga, I believe in fate and I am NOT related to that girl," he pointed to Hinata.

"They do look alike," Kakashi thought, "sissy boy. Next."

"Sai, I paint and smile."

"Smiley boy."

Ino leaped up in delight, "I'm Ino Yamanaka, I like clothes and SASUKE!"

"I don't know her," Sakura muttered.

Hinata cringed, "wrong move," she thought.

Temari rolled her eyes and Tenten slapped her forehead.

"Teenage girl syndrome," Kakashi shook his head, "carry on."

"Sasuke Uchiha, I like nothing at all."

"Emo much, emo kid?"

"I'm Sakura and I adore pink!"

"Pinkie."

"Hello, I'm Hinata…er…"

"Lost for words much?"

"I'm Anko Mitarashi, I like dangoes."

"Dango girl."

"Sabaku No Gaara, I like nothing."

"Is that eyeliner? Did you steal it from your sister or something?" Kakashi asked, trying to hold back a laugh.

Gaara glared at those who were staring at him with a glint of amusement in their eyes. They all quickly turned away.

"If only she knew who she was," Gaara eyed Temari without moving his head, "that's why I'm here."

Temari wasn't really paying attention, neither did she intend to. But she felt an awful feeling overpowering her, like a dark aura lurking around her perimeter. She had her forehead to the table, so she couldn't see who was casting such an eerie gaze, but it was no one she wants to befriend.

"My name is Sabaku No Kankuro, Gaara's brother, I like batman," he laughed, "a fan actually."

"Hey did you watch the latest movie?" Kakashi asked eagerly, "it sucked like hell."

"I have to hand it to you," Kankuro nodded understandingly, "it _was_ a disappointment."

"My name is," Chouji munched on the crackers he had in his mouth, "Chouji…Akim…"

"Swallow your damn food fatty!" Kakashi said, "and no eating in class."

"FUCK YOU!" Chouji screamed, "I'M NOT FAT! I JUST HAVE FUCKING BIG BONES THAT WILL MEET THAT PRETTY BOY FACE OF YOURS!"

Kakashi looked undisturbed, he shook him head unapprovingly, "Chouji Akimichi, I'd like to see you try."

Chouji stood at where he was, panting in anger, face, red hot, his mouth in a scowl.

The Ino, Sakura, Hinata, Naruto, Kiba and Lee were wide- eyed at such courage to stand up for yourself. Tenten and Temari were used to seeing people like that, especially when you live with Ino and called her fat. The rest of the students didn't even bother to look, for they were too busy caring about their own business.

Ino after seeing Sasuke acting so coolly during the situation followed his 'cool' ways and didn't really bother.

"Chouji," his partner Shikamaru muttered with his head on the desk, "let it rest, it so troublesome."

Chouji glanced at the back of Shikamaru's faced- down head, glared once more at Kakashi and then obediently listen to Shikamaru's advice and sat down.

"Carry on…" Kakashi looked down on his class list, "so you're the prodigy Nara Shikamaru eh?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, "Just call me Shikamaru, don't add and freaking prodigy shit in front, its embarrassing and troublesome. I like clouds and I hate work."

"Right, Mr Shika…"

"And don't add any ass formalities in the front," he added, "and please, don't ever call me Shika, it squirms me up inside."

"Ok, Shikamaru," Kakashi bowed, "your wish is my command."

Everyone that bothered, laughed.

"My name is Temari," Temari sat immediately, expecting Kakashi to move on.

"Surname? Hobbies?" Kakashi prompt.

"Temari Ten," she said, "as for hobbies, I rather not say, cause you derive all our nicknames from this like liking of ours."

Kakashi was impressed, "great observation, Temari."

"Anyone could have figured that out," Shikamaru muttered.

Temari turned to him and smile, "yah, it is just as figure- able as the fact that you're sitting next to me and F.Y.I, I heard that."

"Bitch."

"Thank you."

Kakashi regained attention once more, "ok Temari, I guess I'd have to settle with that."

He turned to face Tenten, "make this quick and you guy will have early lunch."

She smirked, "Well then, I'm Tenten, surname Ten, like Temari and name Ten. Complicated, so call me Tenten. And I like soccer, alot."

"Good for you soccer girl," Kakashi swiftly turned to face the class, "get the hell out of here."

* * *

Ino walked over to the lunch table, gulmly, to sit among her friends. They all just looked at her with apathetic eyes, cause they knew she was utterly mortified. Ino wanted to sit next to Sasuke during lunch, but no matter how hard she insisted to sit next to him he'd just ask her to get lost. It began all too politely, then his rejection became curt. She pursued her simple request to sit next to him a little while longer and then it ticked him off.

"Really," Sasuke stood up from his seat, "I can't stand those people who just don't understand plain, simple, understandable English. No means no, so please fucking get the hell away from me," he paused trying to think of her name, "girl."

She now sat between Sakura and Hinata and opposite Temari and Tenten, playing around with her food. Everyone who were staring at the commotion, went back to doing their own business. No one took a second glance at Ino, not even the boys who chased after her in middle school, now that they knew she was publicly rejected and immensely desperate.

"Are you ok," Sakura stroked Ino's back calmingly, "Ino?"

Ino didn't look up, avoiding eye contact with anyone. She didn't say anything.

"Earth to Ino," Temari waved her hand in front of Ino's face, "hello?"

"He didn't even know my name," she finally muttered.

Tenten cringed, "yah, remembering someone's name states the level of importance you are to that person- ouff..!"

Temari nudged Tenten with her arm and gave her a glare.

"I'm sure there are other guys that remembered your name," Hinata said, "I mean, you're pretty attractive among all the girls in our class."

Ino looked up for the first time after a while, her brow raised, "oh really, Hinata? There aren't alot of girls in our class if you haven't notice."

"She was trying to help," Sakura urged.

Ino gave an apologetic look.

"There are other guys Ino," Temari stated, "other guys you can easily get."

"I bet there one or two more guy in our class that is cute enough for you," Hinata reasoned.

Ino thought for a while and grinned, "while only two, Hyuga Neji and this other guy…"

The girls closed up to listen to Ino.

"I don't know his name," Ino turned towards Temari, "it's that guy you fought with. Remember his name?"

Temari bit her lips, "you mean Shikamaru?"

"Do you remember his surname?" Tenten asked.

"Err… Nara Shikamara, I guess," Temari said.

Tenten's eyes widened, she looked to the other girls with the same expressions on their faces. It was the oh- my- god look.

"What?" Temari said, bothered.

Ino leaned towards her, "I fucking saw his first!"

Temari gave an accusing look, "no, no, no, it's not what you guys think. I mean, they were making such a big fuck about his name, how can you guys not remember?"

Their expressions remained the same, shocked beyond words. Temari's got her first crush!

"Fuck you guys," she looked at Ino, "I swear in the name of… name of…god? Whatever. That if I ever love- let alone like him, all my camera, filming equipment and, _and_ my Apple computer will be unhesitantly thrown into the garbage."

Ino sat back onto her chair certainly more relaxed, "that's a deal."

* * *

They four brothers sat there, quietly eating their lunch. Fangirls were scared off by the incident that happened 10 minutes ago. The brothers were definitely not worth the embarrassment.

"You could have remembered her name," Sai said, "it's Ino by the way."

"That's a horrible name," Sasuke grunted.

Sai smiled and continued pushing the food around his plate. Shino was wiping the lens of his sunglasses. And Neji was fooling around with his tarot cards.

"There," Sai pushed his plate to Sasuke's direction, "you, when you're angry."

Sasuke glanced at the work of art. His face was sculpt using rice, his eyes with black berries, his nose shaped with sesames and his mouth using bacon- turned up- side down. As for his jet black spikey hair, Sai had to use all their sea weed to make the whole head covered.

"That's the important project my sea weed has been put to?" Shino said skeptically.

Sasuke didn't say a word, he scooped a scoop of curry and poured it over 'his face'.

"It needs a tan to look exactly like me," Sasuke said as he ate, "or else people might think it's you with spikey hair."

Sai grinned, "our skin tone isn't so different."

Sasuke chuckled, "you are totally unseen on a sheet of white paper and you're saying our skin tone isn't so different? And they call you an artist."

"Thank you Sasuke," Sai smiled, "I'm thoroughly flattered."

"Done?" Shino asked, "I want my seaweeds back."

Just then Neji gently placed his cards onto the table. Sai stopped the passing of seaweeds.

"So Mr. Fortune Teller," Sai said, "what's our future forecast for today?"

Neji raised the top card on his deck. Shino and Sai looked closely at the card he held. The intricate frame works surrounded illustrations of a dark sky with black and grey clouds.

"Thunder cloud?" Shino read the words at the bottom of the card, "what does that mean?"

Neji looked at Sasuke, expecting an answer.

Sasuke merely looked up and glanced individually at each one of them, "the Thunder Cloud prevents its victims from seeing their paths and misleads them from their course. By the time it wears off, it'll be too late when you realize you entered someone else's boundaries."

"So?" Sai looked over to Neji, "what the hell does that mean?"

"Complication."

* * *

Kakashi came in 10 minutes after the bell has rung and apologized to the class for making them wait a whole 10 minutes.

"A magical river appeared out of nowhere and blocked my path," Kakashi said, "so I had to take the other longer path."

Everyone didn't believe it, I mean who would be so dumb?

"Oh my god Kakashi sen- sei," Naruto jumped off his seat, "where is it?"

"Come on Naruto," Kiba laughed, "you don't seriously believe all those crap right?"

"Kakashi sen- sei," Sakura cut in unannounced, "can we just get over it and carry on with life?"

Kakashi turned around to face the black board, "ok, but I'm serious about the whole magical river."

Naruto and Sakura sat down on their seat. Since the controversy in the cafeteria, Ino has shifted her table in between Temari and Shikamaru- another guy she has a crush on. She has been scribbling notes non- stop and sliding them over to Temari's side of the table.

Ino: Temari, do you always feel like this when you're so close to him?

Temari: Feel like what? Shit?

Ino: NO! I meant so excited and tense, so pressured and driven to impress him.

Temari: Whoa, you're vocabulary expanded since you moved here. Was that like 5 mins ago? What the hell do you see in him anyway?

Ino: What the hell don't you see in him?

Temari: Whatever, just don't do anything silly, this crush you have is short- lived, as short as the one you have for-ehm…- Sasuke and, AND Neji.

Shikamaru shrugged under his breathe. Ino almost squealed.

Ino: OMG, his so MANLY!

Temari: Oh yeah he is, very.

Ino give Temari a what- the- hell look, "you promised," she said under her breathe.

Temari rolled her eyes, "I was being sarcastic."

Ino:Sorry….

Temari: Yeah, yeah, yeah whatever.

Ino: Hey, is he like gay or something? He's like leaning towards Chouji and NOT ME!

Temari leaned forward to look. Just then Shikamaru's eyes were wandering around and saw Temari look at him. He grinned at her. She scowled and stoked out her tongue at him. Shikamaru let out a silent laugh.

"What?" Temari mouthed at him.

He tore out a blank piece of paper and wrote sloppishly on it. Then, he folded it in fours and wrote something else on the top.

Ino looked worriedly at Temari, "he's writing you a note."

At the side of Ino's table was now a note with 'Te-something- ri girl' written on top of it. Ino stared at it for awhile before passing it to Temari.

Temari glared at how Shikamaru had written her name, "fuck him for forgetting my name."

She opened the note. Ino eyed Temari from the side, hoping to see what was written in the note. On the top of the crumpled sheet of paper, in elegant penmanship was a perfectly straight line of words strung together. She examined the words the script carefully, not bothering to make sense out of the writings. It was undoubtly the most beautifully, manually written font she'd ever seen- passing the fact that it belonged to someone who was totally not beautiful. It took awhile for her to realize that he had written a note for her to read.

Shikamaru: Do you like me? It freaking me out, the way you stare so hard at me that is. And tell your friend, Igo (is that her name?) that I am so not interested in her.

"Do you like me?" she laughed at his question, "would I like him?"

Ino gently tucked something under her arm. It was a note, this time, from her.

Ino: What did he say? Is it something about me?

It was something about her, something bad at least. Temari didn't want Ino to face her second round of rejection today, it was very pitiful.

Temari: Half of it, maybe.

Ino: What about the other half?

Temari: He's asking me a really stupid question.

Ino: Like?

Temari: Well, it's kind of private.

Ino: Does he LIKE you?

Temari: HELL NO!

Ino: Ok , but remember your promise.

Temari turned to reply to Shikamaru's message, but before passing it back, she folded it into a neat quarter and addressed it to: Shi- something- ru boy.

Shikamaru laughed at how she'd addressed him. Ino cringed. Temari got a little angry he wasn't offended by her remark.

Temari: No, in your fucking dreams I would like you. And I DONOT stare at you, I glance and is it normally due to the heaps of stupidity that is written on your damn face. Also I'm not going to tell Ino (That is her name, it's not Igo) that you're not interested in her. You tell her yourself, but do that a week later or so, cause Sasuke made her really sad today and I don't want to see her upset again. But what would be another alternative is that you DATE her, or at least talk to her- and that means no talking to me, cause that's seriously making her a hell lot jealous. Do what I say and your life would be a whole lot easier.

Shikamaru: A whole lot easier?

Temari: Yes, I swear that you'll never hear a word from me ever again (like I would even talk to you)

Shikamaru: But what if I want to hear from you again?

"What the hell does he mean?" She thought.

Something started to block her light, she looked up and saw a familiar face of her sen- sei looking down upon her.

"Love notes?" Kakashi took the two notes on Temari's table, the one from Ino and the one from Shikamaru.

He walked over to his desk and started reading them. Some parts he grinned, others he wore a shocked expression.

Temari slapped herself, Ino panicked and Shikamaru hid his face under his folded arms. The other students frequently turned back to empathise them. Sakura and Hinata looked over their shoulder and managed to catch Temari's attension.

"What happened?" Sakura mouthed.

Temari bit her lips and shook her head, "something very bad."

She glanced at Ino, who was bitting on her thumb, her les were jumoing up and down, she looked as if she was about to cry.

Tenten leaned towards Temari, "what did you write in there?"

Temari looked at Kakashi worriedly, she wasn't worried on her own accord, rather she could feel Ino panicking vibes hit her hard.

"Stuff that no one ought to know," Temari told Tenten.

Kakashi leaned against his desk and smirked, "sweet, this whole thing is like Icha Icha Paradise all over again."

"Icha Icha Paradise?" Lee asked.

"Something you guys shouldn't know about," Kakashi in a deep breath, he looked at the 3 of them, "well good luck with the whole controversy. Back to the discussion."

He turned to face the board and wrote a couple of things below one another.

* * *

"Something that has got to do with Ino, is definitely a boy problem," Sakura whispered to Hinata, "I mean Shikamaru looked damned too."

Hinata nodded, "well, what about Temari? I mean, the fact that Ino and Shikamaru could be writing love notes to each other doesn't really put Temari nicely in the picture."

Sakura scratched her head thoughtfully, saying that she agrees with Hinata.

"What do you think?" Hinata prompt, "What's your theory? You're the smart one, you got to have something."

Sakura looked towards the blackboard and nodded, "I'm thinking."

By now Kakashi has written a few things on the board and was rounding it up by drawing a line on the title of the whole sudject: Class Committee.

"Nominations for subject leader?" Kakashi said, "someone who has to collect all the homework and attend to the subject teacher's EVERY need."

"That's practically being a slave to your subject teacher!" Tenten shouted across the class.

Kakashi bore a wide grin, "precisely why I'm teaching you for most subjects."

"WHAT?" Naruto screamed.

"Damn Naruto," Shino groaned, "shut the hell up."

"So? Nominations?" Kakashi jumped an inch eagerly.

A hand shot up from amongst the crowd, almost forgotten, Anko blended in so well with the silence. She had a smirk all over her face. Everyone that bothered, twisted their fingers, praying that Anko wasn't about the sabotage them. They've heard rumors of her cruelty. But those were only absurd rumors to pass time and pick on an innocent being, they weren't necessarily true- necessarily.

Kakashi's face lit up, finally the first slave to come aboard the Kakashi you're- gonna- die- under- my- wrath express, "great! Who?"

"Not me, not me," Kiba chanted under his breath, "not me."

Lee looked at him weirdly, "are you ok?"

"What if she calls me?" Kiba said worriedly and leaned in closer, "she's _evil._"

"Evil?" Lee had a quizzical look.

Kiba nodded, "they say that she drinks blood whenever she feels like it, I didn't believe it at first, but look at her lips! Their blood red!"

"It could just be lipstick," Lee said, "it can't be that bad."

"Oh but it is," Kiba eyes widened, "she's so scary that all the teachers are afraid of her."

"Kakashi sen- sei?" Lee asked, "he doesn't look scared."

Kiba shook his head wildly, "that's because he's new here, he doesn't know a thing about Anko, that's why all the teachers threw her into his class. I mean, how can a drop out be in the express class?"

Lee nodded, "true, I've heard is a wild kid, that is, she lives on the streets because her parents didn't want her."

"You guys know that I'm just behind you right?" A vanilla scented voice trailed in from behind them, "I can hear each and every word that come out of your mouths."

Kiba and Lee's back straightened up.

"Don't worry," Anko assured them, "I didn't nominate you."

The two boys looked at the blackboard. True enough, she really didn't nominate any of them, she didn't nominate anybody. She nominated herself.

Kakashi was already getting nominations for Assistant Class Representative. Turns out the class had already chosen their Sports Captain, Tenten.

"So it's between Shikamaru and art boy eh?" Kakashi looked at the nominated names, "I think smiley face should do it, Shikamaru is too busy being in- ahem, to be Assistant Class Representative."

Hinata glanced at Sakura who was already looking at her, "what do you think 'ahem' means?"

"Too busy being in… in…" Sakura thought for a moment then grinned, "love."

Hinata's eyes widened, "love? With who? Ino?"

"Should be," Sakura said, "but where does Temari fit in to all this?"

"Matchmaking?"

Sakura gave Hinata the what- the- hell look.

"I was just kidding!"

"Congratulation!" Naruto turned to face Hinata and Sakura.

"What?" Sakura said.

"You're our new Class Representative!" Kakashi applauded.

* * *

The girls walked out of the school compound to get to their car. Hinata was whispering to Tenten about the Shika- Tema- Ino thing, apparently the class highlight of the day. Everybody had been busy trying to figure out the content of the letters Kakashi confiscated. Naruto wanted to steal them from Kakashi's house, Kiba wanted his dog kill Kakashi then retrieve it, Lee wanted to threaten Kakashi with his so called martial arts power. The four brothers weren't really bothered about the situation, they were rather immersed into finding out the complication that was going to affect them. Gaara and Kankuro were gone as soon as school was over. Anko skipped last period with Genma, their mathematics teacher. Shikamaru followed Chouji to the cafeteria to beat the after- school crowd. Sakura walked on slowly behind the rest of them, thinking about the most thought about thing, but unlike the others she was thinking strategically, finding connections between the different people. Temari walked silently, blocking all forms of noise out of her head by filling it with songs from her IPod Nano Gen 3. Ino was sandwiched between Temari and Sakura by 2 easy strides. She tried to stop thinking about what happened in class today, it was repulsively embarrassing to be publicly dumped by Sasuke, but worse to be betrayed by her sister. She knew Shikamaru told Temari something important, something she should know about. What was the 'something private' she couldn't tell to her sworn sister and the 'stupid question' Shikamaru had asked her? Damn the suspense was agonizing.

"She can't drive when she's in this state," Tenten whispered to Hinata.

"I'll drive," Hinata suggested, she looked back at Sakura but caught sight of the four siblings walking a few paces behind them.

"I heard each of them has their own car," Tenten said, "a Posh, a Mercedes Benz, a Ferrari and a Ross Royce! They're goddamn rich!"

"Guys," Sakura jumped out of nowhere, "I think I got it!"

They looked at her expectantly.

"Well maybe, just maybe, Shikamaru doesn't return the feelings Ino has for him, maybe he is in love with Temari," Sakura exclaimed.

Hinata gave the same what- the- hell face Sakura gave her in class, "they hate each other."

"On the very first day!" Tenten sided Hinata, "is that really all that you've been thinking off? I mean isn't bad to stick your nose into someone elses business?"

Sakura made a face, "ARGH!" she almost screamed, "it's just too complicated!"

Complicate. Complicated. Complication.

The four brother happened to be eavesdropping at that exact moment and the word just echoed in the minds. Complicated… complicated… complicated. They all looked at Neji, the tarot card reader. Neji had a very serious face.

"Is it so plainly visible?" Neji questioned the others, "what if it is a diversion to let our guards down?"

"She did say complicated," Sai reminded him.

"We better get home guys," Shino interrupted, "it's going to rain."

Sasuke looked at him, "are your bug instincts telling you that?"

"No," Shino pointed to the ominous sky, "it's plainly visible."

Sai looked at Neji with a I- told- you face, "not everything has to be… what's that word? Oh, complicated."

* * *

"If you guys continue guessing, Ino's going to get pissed," Tenten said in the bath that night, "Temari wouldn't really care, she doesn't give a fuck about what the world thinks of her."

Sakura was combing her hair in front of the table, "but I can't rest till I know the meaning behind all this mess. Ino is not even talking to Temari, now there's seriously something wrong there cause Ino is always the chatty one."

The door slammed shut. The two girls realized that Hinata had just rushed in, panting.

"What?" Tenten asked.

Hinata looked up and winced, "stop guessing already."

"Why?" Sakura was eager.

Hinata had a worried look on her face and shook her head, "Ino, she's calling… calling…"

"Calling?"

"SHIKAMARU'S HOUSE!"

"What? Why?"

"She thinks that's the only way to stop the guessing and gossiping," Hinata explained, "she says that the proability of Shikamaru liking her to Temari was 99.9% to 100%. So as long as she's going out with him, the talking would stop."

"So what's wrong?" Sakura asked, "for once her mathematical calculations were right, many guys prefer her to Temari."

"That's why your guesses were never right," Hinata said, "Temari told me that Shikamaru was never interested in anybody, he finds it way too troublesome to have a relationship."

Sakura and Tenten looked at each other, "so that means…"

"Shikamaru doesn't like Ino."

* * *

"Anko," Kakashi muttered from his desk, "you can go home."

Anko just laughed, "it's alright Kakashi sen- sei, no one will be waiting for me anyways."

She was just lonely. The reason she nominated herself to be subject leader was so she could follow someone around for a reason. No one at school seemed to allow her into their social circle, not someone she talked to at least. She was actually, relatively gifted and well taught about the different subjects. After all, she has been in freshmen year for 5 years. She didn't want to advance to the next grade as she hoped to befriend someone totally new to the school, so they won't discriminate her. But rumors spread like wild fire, one person knowing it would be equivalent to the whole cohort hearing about it. At least a teacher can't show this type of discrimination.

"They say that your mean," Kakashi was typing documents into his computer, "that you killed your parents, married a rich man, then kill him to get his fortune and then sucked to blood out of their dead bodies…"

Maybe she was wrong.

"But," he continued, "you don't seem like a vampire bitch, slut."

She _was_ wrong, wrong about being wrong.

"Nobody seems like that," Anko said, "at least nobody deserves to."

"So what really happened to your parents?"

"They froze themselves, to preserve their youth."

Kakashi laughed at the joke, "youth is a very important thing Anko," he turned his chair around, "you're getting older and older by the day, now you're probably 18."

"19."

"Yes, 19," Kakashi reinforced, "you're wasting your time here, you know more than we teach, there aren't many gifted people."

"Shikamaru is gifted."

"But he's young, you're not."

"Are you implying that I'm _old_?"

"Old enough to be my younger sister."

"Your younger sister?" She laughed, "how old are you? My age? Or 18?"

"I'm 28."

"No," she said in disbelief, "not that old."

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you," he turned back to type more thing onto his computer.

Anko was now, next to him, flipping through his wallet he left on the table. She slipped a card and read it, front and back.

"You _are_ 28," she said then frowned, "I was hoping to have a sneak look at your face, why did they let you take a picture with your mask?"

He grinned without looking at her, "secret."

She looked at the screen, "what are you doing?" She examined it for a while, "oh typing the class lists. Why are you doing all this alone? Aren't the other teachers supposed to help?"

"Get more coffee," he ignored her question.

She turned head head back, "unless you want to use the cup I'm using, we're out."

"That'll be like kissing you," he cringed, "no thanks. Anyway I'm done soon, two more names."

She when back to her seat and sat down, "I'll wait until you're done, take you're time."

His vision was damn blurry with a the drowsiness, the names just swivered around mixing into each other.

"Sasame Rice, class… class…1-A," he read as he typed, "Matsuri Sand, class 1-C. Done."

"God Anko enough," he said, "go home, your frozen parent would be very worried."

**End of Episode One**


	2. Episode Two: Talent Classes

A/N: I do not own Naurto. Enjoy. :) This has been editted!

Review!

The High School Chronicles

Episode two: Talent Classes

It was a rather silent morning. When Sakura woke up, Hinata and Tenten were long up, in the toilet changing. Ino was still in bed and Temari was doing her computer work.

"Hey," she went over to Temari, "what time is it?"

Temari glanced down at the bottom right hand corner of the blarring screen, "7:45 am, still quite early."

She was already changed, donned in her black oversized jacket with a dark purple tank and jean skirt with purple stockings. Today, the first in a very long time, she had her black, rectangular framed spectacles on.

"It's been really long since you wore that," Sakura pointed out.

"Yeah," Temari didn't divert her eyes from the computer, "the words are freaking small."

"Small," Sakura squinted at the screen, "what are you doing?"

"Oh, it's kind of like a class project, Genma sen- sei give to us. You know the class I have that you guy don't…"

"Right, video class," Sakura said.

"That," Temari nodded, "the video has to be about 'The Worst Thing Ever' I'm not sure what can qualify as the worst thing ever."

"Good luck," she patted Temari's shoulder, "remember to wake Ino up."

She started heading towards the toilet until Temari stopped her.

"Wait," Temari turned her office chair around, "we are not on good terms after that controversy."

Sakura gave the oh- right face, "you shouldn't let Shikamaru tear you guys up, it's been only a day of high school and so many things happened. Ino got 'dumped', you guys get caught in class and Ino and yourself are already not on good terms. If this was a book, I tell you, it'd be bestseller for 8 weeks!"

Temari frowned, "you make it seem like we- Ino and I- are fistfully fighting for…for Nara. Do you think like that? I seriously don't like Nara, he's such a badass, an idiot, a dumbo, a bastard, a fucktard…"

Sakura was trying to calm that angry woman down, "ok, ok, I get it."

"He's so annoying, it kills you just to hear his loud and obnoxious breathing, pisses you off more than Ino does and … and…god! THE WORST THING EVER!"

* * *

Today Ino shifted her table again. This time next to Hinata, because if she shifted next to Sakura she would be next to Sasuke. Temari was kind of pissed of with Sakura with the idea of Shikamaru being the subject of her video.

"Really," she recalled Sakura saying, "You should consider that thought."

She glanced at that lazy genius an aisle across her, casually, he looked back. Her brows furrowed. He turned to his other side. Temari looked at her sister sitting next to her. It pains her so much to see the resemblance of their parents in her. The dark hair, the chalked black eyes and even her accent. Her hair was blond, her eyes were teal and she spoke with a unusual slang in her voice. She wasn't traditional like the rest of her family and even if she was, it didn't look like a suitable personality for someone with her kind of face. It would sort of suck to find out that you're an adopted child that your birth parents didn't want.

"Hey," Tenten nudged her, "what are you doing?"

She looked up at the black board, "thinking. Thinking about the worstest thing ever," she immediately pointed at Tenten, "and it's not Nara."

"Then bingo," Tenten smiled, "you don't need to write about Shikamaru anymore."

Suddenly, something so out of the blue just plopped onto Temari's desk. It was a note- from Shikamaru.

"What now," she unfolded the note, "at least he got the name right."

Shikamaru: Like I'd allow you to do that.

He was eavesdropping! She crunched the note and threw it back at him, when Kurenai sen- sei wasn't looking. It bounced of the chuckling man's head.

* * *

Ino sat there fiddling around, clearly troubled. Hinata and Sakura looked at the blackboard, copying down the equations and questions. She saw everything that happened back there. It was filled with chemistry between the two parties. Her compact mirror laid angularly to keep the drama occurring at the last row in view. Temari never liked people, so why was she bothering about Shikamaru's business?

"You know," Hinata said while scribbling, "these are all tested."

She ignored Hinata, "let me copy that," she reached over to grab Hinata's worksheet.

Hinata shifted it away, "do it yourself, that way you'll understand."

Ino scoffed, "once Shikamaru becomes my boyfriend, I'll have nothing to understand."

"Hey Hinata," Naruto turned to face her, "is that your name?"

"Ye…yes…, Naruto- kun," she stammered and blushed madly.

"Shino- emo, doesn't talk much," Naruto spoke louder purposely prompting Shino to hear, "Kiba and Lee," he snickered, "sucks at maths, so do you know how to do this sum?"

Question 2b. Hinata skimmed through her almost completed worksheet for question 2b. It was all the way at the front. That was how slow he was. Maybe the question was hard.

2x+x-x+y=_

Yeah, that was _really_ hard.

Such a simple algebraic sum, yet the kid, sitting right at the front, in clear view of the board and teacher, doesn't know how to solve it. Naruto has got to be the most dim- witted blond ever. There was a saying of 'dumb blonds'. Hinata never took it too seriously, Temari was blond, she was definitely not dumb, Ino… er…she has a lot of fashion sense, overly exceeding fashion skills, so not dumb. Naruto, what was he? Simple- minded? She didn't want to sound offensive but this _was _the advance class. Only the top few in the school could get in. How come such a fool got in? This standard belongs to the average middle class group.

Then it hit her, like a meteorite, like shoe some angry person threw. Seriously, if Ino had paid attention to the conversation between Naruto and herself she would be, indeed, handy in this situation. She was very sure Ino could solve that sum.

She quietly giggled inside.

Naruto was flirting with her!

But, no one has ever flirted with her before. She didn't know how to respond to this flirtatious remark. For once in her life, she hoped she had Ino's brain instead of her naïve mind. It was crazy because it was like second nature to Ino to respond and even pass her own flirtatious statement. It was like learning a whole other language to her. Foreign and inexperienced.

There was another way though, to answer his question. Pretending to be stupid and unequipped in the art of seduction, he might turn away without giving a face. After all, she didn't want to seem desperate or anything, Naruto was, as a matter of fact, one of the unattractive guys in her class. Among them were Lee and Chouji, possibly Kiba, but he was fine to her.

"It's 2x+y Naruto- kun," she smiled that innocent smile.

"Ok, whatever," Naruto turned back to his desk to write down the answer.

Whatever. In some complex concept, Hinata kind of knew for certain that Naruto was flirting with her.

She looked at the clock. . Talent class was next. That was the only lesson that they had apart, which was actually fun.

* * *

The talent class split the student population into clubs and societies to enhance their individual talents. They could chose their own club to join when their enrolled into the school. There was a wide array to choose from. Hinata chose the art club. Sakura chose the Red Cross. Tenten went for the soccer club. Ino settled for the modeling club and Temari joined the movie making society. It was a 2 hour class, drilling you into your different talents. And like normal subjects there were homework, projects and assignments given.

* * *

They were doing stretches before beginning the real thing. The president of the club, Pein, was leading the routines. He looked scary and unapproachable- just like Anko- but he was actually nice to you if you listen to him. They say that he had a gang of friends which are all seniors, like him. They follow him everywhere he goes. People in their year and majority of the juniors looked up the him and his friends. Pein was so popular and well- known through out the school that he was elected prom king three years, since he was a freshman, till the previous year. Of course the prom queen was also always his girlfriend, Konan, also part of the gang. Just like her boyfriend, she was silent and lifeless, many people call her the 'blue bird' because of her beautiful, natural blue hair. The other people included, Deidara, vice president of the art club. Sasori, the president of the drama club and Tobi as vice. Hidan was weirdly in the yoga club, posing as their president. Itachi was taekwondo school champion with Kakuzu in second place. Zetsu was the president of the gardening club as well as Kisame, captain of the swim team. The ten of them, make up a gang of highly educated, self- disciplined and responsible student leaders.

"Tenten," Pein called her, "you're the goalie."

She nodded and started heading for the goal post.

"Wait!" Pein called, "is that alright? Do you want to be a player?"

He was kind. Looks can really be deceiving. No one who talked to him would expect this kind of attitude from a guy with piercing he made multiple seem like a small number. They went all the way up the bridge of his nose and all round his ears. He had bloody red hair and eyes that scare the creeps out of anyone. But all in all, he was very unexpected.

"I don't mind," she smiled at her kind president and gave him a thumbs up.

She continued to walk towards the goal post when she heard Pein shouting at a few people behind her.

"You guys are late," he yelled at them.

From across the field ran two boys one blond, one ravened haired.

"Rock Lee and," Pein read from his clip board, "oh… and the legendary Uzumaki Naruto." He looked up grinning, "I've been curious how a legendary soccer player like you might look like."

"Oh, it's nothing," Naruto was being modest, "I'm not a soccer star or anything great."

Pein nodded, "ok to- be- star, show me what you got."

From the goal post, Tenten was within earshot. She heard everything the two of them said. Legendary? That dumb blond? Maybe that was how he got into the advanced class, through soccer. Who knew you could do that?

* * *

"Today you'll be learning the first and most essential way of art," Konan spoke, "painting."

Everyone had an easel and pastel colors each. They all sat in a circle behind their easels, listening to their leaders in the middle.

"What we did yesterday was to gauge your standards," Deidara said seriously for once, "today we get started on the serious things. Painting a… cup!"

There was moan that rushed through the class. Hinata didn't say anything. She didn't want to seem proud in anyway. The first impression counts, everyone here were strangers to her. She'd only met them yesterday. The only person she knew was Sai, from her class. Though she can't really say she knew him well.

"No, no," Deidara laughed, "joking! Ha! Caught you fools AGAIN! No, we're going to paint the first image that comes to your mind when you hear the word… secret."

"Get started," Konan said curtly, "remember shape, color, texture and form. Pass this up to Deidara on Friday. For those who don't hand up…" her eyes turned into an icier shade of blue, "pray."

The look in her eyes sent chills down Hinata's spine. It was as cold as ice and hard as stone, it pierced right into her pupil, like Konan was specially directing the warning to her. It wasn't a delightful feeling but she was sure she could hand in the work within 3 days, which was an exceedingly long time required to finish a piece of work.

"Secret," she thought out loud, "I have no secrets."

"It doesn't have to be a real secret you're keeping," Sai came in out of the blue, "it can be the feeling you get when you hear the word, the words you think of when you hear it."

"What are _you_ going to draw?"

He smiled and whispered something into her ear that made her grin.

"Oh," she giggled, "that's funny."

He shrugged.

"I guess I'll draw something like that too."

* * *

"Work it girl," the sen- sei catcalled, "strut that booty- licious body of yours girl!"

It was already half way into the modeling class. They were having strutting lessons today on the runway. It was harder than it seemed on TV. They had to walk with the balls of their feet touching the ground before that heel and constantly stay on the line that was taped onto the runway. Orochimaru sen- sei said that they would be learning to strut on platforms tomorrow and heels the following day. To Ino, it was all a breeze, she took modeling lessons when she was younger and modeled for small brands like Paradise Kiss, Happy Bunny and LolaAtkinburgTheFame. She wasn't renowned like Orochimaru sen- sei, an International model for CosmoRepublican and Allure. Although he was he was male, he modeled for women clothing as he had exceptionally good feminine features. He had skin fairer than paper's fair and hair so long and black like the night sky. It was such a delight to have him as an instructor.

"Oh look who's here," a girl with red hair came over to Ino, "the infamous Ino Yamanaka."

She flashed a fake smile, "right, I like being widely known, umm… what's your name again?"

"Karin," she snapped, Mrs. Karin Uchiha."

Uchiha? Sasuke fall for this, this anorexic girl instead of her? And guess what? She was myopic! She wears spectacles! She was practically half blind!

Ino looked out for the flaws present on this bitch's physical self. And whoa did she have two utterly, repulsively fat legs. How can she become a model- or better yet- Sasuke's girlfriend?

Dreamer!

"Exactly which class are you in?" Karin asked.

"Same class as Sasuke," Ino snapped, "Mrs. Uchiha wanna- be."

She stared at Ino for a moment before snorting.

"Ha! I can see past your lies Yamanaka Ino," Karin chided, "there are several leak holes you need to mend before telling them."

Lies? Did the idiot need proof? Or was she just plain jealous?

Orochimaru sen- sei was waving for Karin to come over, "Karin darling, come over, you're not as good as Ino dearie to rest."

Karin scoffed and Ino merely laughed.

"Don't you dare laugh at me Ino," Karin almost screamed, "cause if you do I will-"

"KARIN!"

"Another time amateur," Ino laughed, "Oro sen- sei is calling you."

Karin walked away.

Was that I threat? From this scrawny little twig? What was she going to do? Camouflage in a tree and scare the wits out of the people passing? Hide behind a pole and trip the passerby who didn't notice her log- fat leg sticking out of no where? What could she do? Definitely not beat her up, the wind could blow her away with the slightest puff. One day she was going to disappear and all that will be left of her is her ugly, fat legs and a pile of tiny organs.

"Oh," Ino laughed sarcastically," I'm so scared."

Orochimaru sen-sei was waving at Karin to come over," Karin Darling, come over."

Karin turned to walk away, after taking a few steps, she looked back at Ino.

"You better watch out."

* * *

Shizune sen-sei demonstrated the way to bandage a patient's wrist using a roller bandage, twice before everyone got it. They were now grouped up in twos and bandaged each other's wrist, both left and right. Sakura didn't know anyone there, well, except of course, Hyuga Neji, strangely, he was here. She thought he'd take some divination class or some fortune telling club.

They were hogs and hogs of girls surrounding Neji dying to be his partner. He looked irritated, annoyed and really really pissed off. So did the other guys, who joined the club for the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, it should be a good experience, for them.

"Sakura?" A girl who introduced herself as Fumiko came up to her.

"That's me," Sakura looked up at the tall and lean senior.

"Yeah," Fumiko shrugged," It was getting kind of a mess with the whole'I-LOVE-HYUGA-NEJI' thing so I assigned partners."

"So," Sakura rocked back and forth on her heels," you're my partner?"

She nodded and gave Sakura her hand.

Sakura unrolled some bandage and held it onto Fumiko's wrist. She started to go over and under, around Fumiko's wrist making sure that it's not too loose for nor too tight. She noticed a deep cut under side of her wrist. Fumiko realized that she had noticed her cut.

"Oh that," she shrugged," I accidentally sliced that part while helping Sasori with his puppet making. The blade went quite deep." She stroked the scar.

"Sasori?" she continued wrapping," Is he studying here?"

Fumiko nodded, "he's the president of the Drama club, I don't know why puppeteering is considered as a form of Drama."

She didn't have more to ask. But the silence was awkward. Fumiko's gaze was spine-chilling, just like her boyfriend, Sasori. She had seen him before, the red headed, sleepish looking senior in the cafeteria before, with his pack of friends. All seniors, 15 of them. Most of the senior girls talk about them, how they were all good looking people. Some flirted with the guys that did not have girlfriends like Hidan, Kakuza and Kisame. They say it was a pity how Yui had Itachi, Fumiko had Sasori, Milla had Deidara, Caroline had Tobi and Aki had Zetsu. Not saying they weren't pretty or anything, they _did_ look really really nice. Yui, pronounced as you-ae, was tall and lean, perfect to be the basketball team captain. Milla was talented and well versed in playing the flute, she was the school band conductor. Caroline was captaining of the fencing team in the school. She is known as the 'masked swordman' for she could defeat her opponent blinded. Lastly, was Aki, member of the National Archery Team, similar to her boyfriend, she has green hair. But the true beauty was Konan the 'blue bird' with her ravishing looks and glassy countenance, she was mystifying. Maybe that was why the guys allowed her to be the tenth member of their gang, the Akatsuki. They never allowed the other five girls join the gang. And even though they weren't in the gang they didn't seem to mind, cause they were always together.

"There," Sakura finished wrapping Fumiko's wrist, "is it okay?"

Fumiko examined the bandage around her wrist, "a little tighter would be perfect, but this is fine."

* * *

They were one of the fastest proceeding classes among the rest. Yesterday, they were quickly briefed on the rules and regulations of the society. There wasn't much to learn, everyone was experienced, skilled. The software was the latest model, Temari had read about it before from one of the lastest issues of 'Digital Times', the nerd's guide to the future! Today, they were stuck using the computer to conduct their research on 'the worst thing ever!" Genma sen- sei said that it was okay to go out filming the video only after they passed up their storyboard draft to him. She stared at the white sheet of paper settled in front of her, on top of the landscape position were the words 'storyboard- the worst thing ever' underlined.

There were a few topics she had in mind. First, was when Ino really started hating her. That wasn't that bad, she could live without Ino, but she'll sure miss her constant whinning and her spend- thrift ways. Second, well was being abandoned by her parents and her sister, Tenten, because they thought that it was time to let her go as the orphan she was. But because she couldn't be one. Third is a really dreaded topic for her- Shikamaru. She tried as hard as possible to make him the last resort. But each time she gets a lead on either the first or second topic, there was always this thing that drove her to the third.

"Like I'll allow you," she imagined him saying.

That seriously pissed her off. Who does he think he is? Some god, some president? What makes him think that she couldn't _make_ him?

"Temari," Genma sen- sei came beside her,"your topic is really really bad eh?"

She looked at him quizzically.

"Look what your doing to your storyboard," he beckoned.

She looked at the ball of paper she unconsciously crunched. She released it in shock, it almost hit the floor but Genma caught it.

"That's the spirit to have while filming this theme," Genma laughed, "yours must be really good."

"I don't if really good is the right term," Temari muttered,"more like damn pissing me off."

"keep up that good work," Genma patted her head like she was a dog,"Pour out all your feelings in this video."

"Pour out all your feelings" his voice echoed in his head," the feeling of hatred? Irritation? Spite?

She laid back in her chair and thought about it. The word feelings. If she were to really to make a video of hating Shikamaru, how would he feel? That was first- considering how Shikamaru would feel. All she knew was that if Ino were to publicly announce that she hated her, she would feel enraged, betrayed and most of all mournful. That was probably how he would feel. She'd never expected this to ever come down to caring about someone she hated. Never.

"Half an hour more," she thought.

* * *

"Next," Tobi called, "Sabaku No Kankuro," he looked up at the dully dressed student, "foreigner?"

"Yes," Kankuro stepped forth, "shall I begin?"

Tobi nodded and stepped away, then he noticed that Kankuro had brought a black suitcase along with him.

Kankuro settled on a stool at the center of the performing space, the black case n his lap. He slowly unclasped the lock and inched open the lid. Before revealing his treasure, Kankuro looked up at the other drama club members and almost hidden in the darkness, the not- so- comical Sasori.

"Here goes, "he thought as he pushed away the box to reveal a life size puppet.

It totally shocked everyone. Some fainted- drama club, what do you expect?

The puppet looked fake, one look you'll be shocked by it's haunting appearance, a second glance assures you it's only a puppet.

Tobi grinned at Sasori, "your first disciple."

"Where did he say he was from?" Sasori asked curtly.

* * *

They were having a mini competition to see was the taekwondo master among the freshmen, sophomore and juniors. There were three competitions conducted at once to speed up thr process. The winner of the competition were to go up against Kakuza and if, if he or she won, then he/ she would go up against Itachi, the school champion three years running. It would be impossible to defeat him.

"That guy is in the competition for 5 rounds already," Kakuzu pointed to a purple haired male in the ring nearest to them, "that girl, the dirty blond one, only her second win."

Itachi nodded, observing the fighting tactics of the two Kakuzu pointed out. Then his eyes lingered to the third ring. there was a black haired boy, a head shorter than him. A freshman, he assumed. He never seen him before but he looked so much like himself, except, younger.

"Coach Uchiha," a girl with two ponytails came up to Itachi, "may I go to the toilet?"

"Out of the training room, to the left," Kakuzu directed.

The girl ran off.

"Kakuzu," Itachi murmured, "who's that boy at the last court?"

Kakuzu squinted his eyes to look, "oh, that one. He came in today, claimed that he had just transferred from another class, that's why he didn't come yesterday."

"Which round is he at?" Itachi asked keeping his eyes on the boy.

"He's at his eighteenth round, very impressive," Kakuzu commented, "and now that you brought this up, I think there's something you should know about him."

Itachi looked at Kakuzu expectantly.

"Setting aside the fact that he looks awfully like you," Kakuzu said in an intense tone, "he is a Uchiha."

* * *

Zetsu had gone out of the toilet and left the people of the gardening club alone in the greenhouse. He told them that as soon as the class was over they could go off on their own. Which means he might not be back until then.

Earlier that day, Zetsu has reiterated that the gardening club was the most boring talent class they could ever have, which was why he chose it. There was no hard work needed. All the 'fun' was already over when they finished planting their seeds, the only thing they could do now was to record the progress of their seed.

Truly, it _was_ boring. They all just sat there staring into space. Shino even talked to the ants that were crawling on the edge of the pot (yes, it was that boring). He had chosen this class because of it's low number of applicants, that way there wouldn't be any fan girls around him stealing his air.

* * *

There was that familiar sound of clonking wood in the air. Shikamaru sat there alone in the blazing sun of the school backyard, wasting his life away by staring at the clouds. Nobody dared go against him in a game of chess as they knew of his skill. He wished that he had chosen another class other than chess- which his dad strongly insisted on. Chouji was surely happy, being surrounded by what he lived for- food. Kiba- which he hardly knew- is very satisfied with his class, for Yui the 'hot' senior was captain of the basketball team. The others, well, he couldn't really much be bothered, it was far too tedious, or rather troublesome to take note of such things. He knew which class Chouji was in for obvious reasons and Kiba was the second loud mouth after Narutard. But somehow or rather, there was always this particular class which he had been really interested in, not because of whatever shit they teach inside, but rather a member of this society.

Temari Ten.

He had found out, within short interaction with her, that it assumed him more than ever to tick her off. She was challenging and the expression she gives when she doesn't understand your words -priceless. She was like all her friends combined together; quiet (not shy) like Hinata, smart like Sakura, brave like Tenten and … and well, nothing like Ino. But there was always this thing about the look in her eyes that made her Temari and not Hinata, Sakura, Tenten and most definitely not Ino.

But the weirdest part of this was: being the genius he was, he simply can't fucking understand, reason, explain what made Temari so… special, in a sense, that whoever she passes was inclined to her.

Normally, he'd come up with reasons, tons of them, reasons why this thing is like that, or why this thing worked this way. Then, he would lay in the grass all day canceling out the different theories. But, he had never, never in his life, sat down and think, deeply about an issue.

And so far, he had no hypothesis.

* * *

"Hey, Gaara," Kankuro shouted from across the school foyer, "how's band?"

"You're too loud Kakuro," Gaara muttered, lugging his cello behind him.

On a bench nearby, were Ino, Sakura and Tenten. Apparently, Tenten was telling them about how freaky it was to see Naruto actually being focused on something.

* * *

Asuma released Shikamaru earlier, cause he wasn't in a game and besides, his chauffeur was already here.

The four brothers, just drove out of the school compound in their individual cars.

Chouji was still munching on food in the cafeteria and just a few feet away from him was Naruto, Kiba and Lee.

"What's taking them so long?" Tenten looked at her watch, "it's already 2:30."

"I have like tons of homework to do," Ino whined.

"We have tons of homework to do," Hinata pointed out, "we're in the same class, remember?"

"Sorry, sorry," Sakura came running round the corner, panting, "it wasn't Temari's fault, I accidentally dropped the bandage roll and it rolled all over the floor."

She stopped to sling her bag properly, then followed the others to where their jeep was parked.

The mood was slightly lighter, Ino didn't really show as much unhappiness towards Temari as she did yeaterday. Surprisingly, the rumors died down, but they never completely vanished. There was always a certain bitch called Karin to bitch about it in modeling class to remind everyone how desperate Ino was.

* * *

Sai glanced at the picture he scribbled with his left hand while the other was on the wheel. He recognized the familiar patterns, prints, until he remember where he'd seen them made a four way call with his brothers and put his phone on loud speaker. The phone rang it's familiar tune over and over again, until they all picked up.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked, "I'm driving."

"I drew something," Sai muttered.

They understood.

"It wasn't over yet," he said, "not a simple as we thought it was, it's still here."

"What is still here?" Shino, the slowest asked.

"The complication."

**End of Episode two**


	3. Episode Three: Complication

A/N: This has been edited! Read on!

* * *

The High School Chronicles

Episode 3: Complication

They were up all night. The four of them. Sasuke, Sai, Shino and Neji. Waiting for more signs. Ever since the accident that happened quite some time ago, they've been so cautious about every sign they get. Even if it was dumb and all. You see, these four kids each have their own unique ability to look into the future.

For Sasuke, he can predict his enemy's next move during a fight. Hence the taekwondo awesome- ness.

For Sai, he has the talent to paint or draw out something that might happen in the near future. It was like making something intangible tangible. Though some of them are hard to interpret.

For Shino, he can predict the weather. Which did come in handy once, when they avoided a thunder storm that killed millions during a school break.

And lastly, Neji. The tarot card reader. He reads his tarot cards on a daily basis unless Sai had already predicted something or unless they are waiting for one of their predictions to happen.

Maybe it was a coincidence that all of them had this common ability- after all they _were_ adopted. I mean, did their parents like specially pick them or something? And if they did, why did they pick them? Special kids with special abilities? What had their parents plan for them?

"Let's go," Sasuke stood up from the chair, "it's time."

"Time for what?" Shino asked.

Sai looked at Shino, "school Shino, it's time for school."

They all got up and carried the mugs containing traces of coffee into the dumbwaiter and watched it disappear down the shaft.

"It's really stupid Sasuke groaned as they walked towards their individual rooms, "after one long, sleepless night, we came up with nothing, nothing at all."

Neji stopped dead on his tracks, "Sasuke," he said in an annoyed tone, "we don't want someone to die again just because of our ignorance."

* * *

The heat of the mid- day sun drowned him into sleep. The last thing he remembered before dozing off was Kakashi sen- sei starting on a new chapter for Social Studies. If he hadn't been mistaken, the chapter was 'factors affecting population growth'.

There was a new girl in class today, she had just transferred from another school. Unfortunately for her, she was placed next to Anko. Her name was Sasame, Rice Sasame. She had long flowing orange hair and unlike the other girls in class, she was a little too conservative. The clothes she donned on were covering every single part of her body, leaving nothing but her face uncovered. And her whole suit was black.

Guess what? Doesn't this remind us of some batman guy? Kankuro? Gaara's brother, the one that wears his ridiculously black outfit to school everyday?

Yes, it most certainly does.

Tenten approached her before class started today and asked her, if by any chance, she liked watching batman. And thank god, she doesn't.

"Hey, um… Anko?" Sasame nudged Anko, who was sleeping, "what is 'population'?"

Anko looked up from her crossed arms, "you got to be kinding," she almost laughed.

"Seriously, what's that?"

Anko went to retrieve a thick book from under her desk and thumped it on the table, "look it up."

It was a dictionary. Sasame started flipping through it.

"Anko?" Sasame said, "population is spelt as P-O-U-"

"P-O-P-U-L-A-T-I-O-N," Anko mumbled, "happy?"

Sasame bit her lips, "P-O-P-U… and then?"

Anko banged her fist on the table, "L-A-T-I-O-N!" She yelled.

Everyone was looking at them.

"Um… Anko, "Kakashi walked closer to the pair," what's up?"

"I'll tell you what's up," Anko stood up from her desk, "she's what's up."

"You need to be patient with her Anko," Kakashi coaxed," she's new to the class."

"So what has being new related to the spelling of 'poulation'?" Anko demanded, "it is not like 'physics' or 'renaissance', you can actually use phonetics to actually spell the damn word!"

Kakashi pointed his finger warningly at Anko, "not everyone os as smart as you."

He didn't get where she was coming from. This was an elite class, everyone here has to have an IQ of 150 and above to be able to enter. So in other words, everyone here was smart, everyone except Sasame.

Then she thought back, two days ago. That night, she was with Kakashi when he keyed in the new student's names. She remembered that he was awfully fatigue and in desperate need for coffee. He must heave sorted Sasame into the wrong class. That would explain her stupidity.

But that wasn't what worried her the most.

* * *

Across the class, at the more silent side, Sai was there sitting at his usual seat. Unlike the other students, he had completely zoned out of the whole event happening over there. In fact, he couldn't hear it nor see it. His hand were running all over the paper uncontrollably. He was having a vision.

"A girl?" Neji asked when Sai was done with the picture, "do you know her?"

Sai nodded.

"Hold up," Neji blinked non – stop in confusion, "so did you draw this because it's a vision or did you draw this because you _like_ her?"

"A vision, Neji, a vision."

"Then who is she?"

Sai sighed, and shook his head, "I don't know what's this picture trying to show, but I get a feeling that it has something to do with the-"

"Complication," Neji gasped.

Sai nodded, "we shouldn't tell Konan yet."

* * *

Kurenai did a head count of the class and frowned, "17, that's a prime number, it can't be equally divided."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah smart alec," Naruto mumbled.

Kurenai shot Naruto a look, "Mister Uzumaki Naruto, if my memory doesn't fail me, you are the only one in this class who failed the recent test on 'Simple Algebra'."

"You call that simple?" Naruto said in dismay, "that was like freaking hard!" He paused, "I mean, who can solve 2x+x? What kind of question is that?"

"That is one of the many simple questions everyone scored full marks for."

Sakura raised her hand, "Kurenai sen- sei, who acored the highest for this test?"

She swiped the class register from the table and scanned through the list, "Shikamaru, you got full marks."

Everyone clapped, Chouji gave Shikamaru a pat on the back. Shikamaru shrugged. Seriously, no one was shocked or anything, they kind of expected that from a child prodigy.

"If he's so good why does he even have to come to school?" Temari said to Tenten, with the clapping almost draining her voice, "I mean he says everything is a drag or life is so troublesome, so why bother come to school when you're already so smart?"

"What amazes me more is the fact that Anko never seized to pass freshmen year," Tenten said, "she has always been in the elite class, she has been studying the same syllabus over and over again. But why, I ask, why is she still a freshman?"

Temari shook her head, "I don't know," she said eyeing Shikamaru, "these people are seriously twisted. Why bother coming to school when you know everything and, in Anko's case, flunking almost all your lessons?"

* * *

"Tell me again why I allowed you to flunk your additional mathematics class?" Kakashi asked.

Anko tossed a bag of garbage to Kakashi , "because it benefits the both of us."

He tied a knot to the mouth of the garbage bag and tossed it into the bin, "how does it benefit me?"

Anko, who was seated on plastic crates tore open another bag of rubbish, "well, if I help you find your missing document, the chances of us finding it would be higher than you finding it alone."

Kakashi rummaged through the plastic bag he tore open and flipped through the piles of paper which were stashed inside, "that's kind of you thank you," he said very insincerely, "but in what way does it benefit you?"

She laughed, "I get to escape the boring clutches of Kurenai sen- sei."

"Boring? Kurenai isn't boring!"

She tied the last bag of garbage she had and lugged it towards the spot where Kakashi sat, "here," she passed him the bag which he threw into the bin, "Kurenai sen- sei is married to Asuma sen- sei."

He kicked the rubbish bag and stomped his feet like a spoilt child, "really? Damn I'm jinxed."

Anko got up and gathered the bag of rubbish from the ground, "let me guess, you can never ask a girl you like to go out with you?"

Kakashi got up and dusted his pants, Anko followed. He then threw the very last bag of garbage into the bin.

"Seriously Anko," Kakashi gave her a look, "I'm not that desperate."

Anko started heading back into the building, "yeah sure you're not. Just don't' come running to me when the whole school finds out about your secret crush."

He stopped her before she went into the school," yes, I'm desperate Anko," he admitted, "please for god's sake don't tell anyone."

"Maybe I won't," she said mockingly.

"Anything, I'll do anything, "he pleaded, "just shut that trap of yours!"

Anko raised her brow, "anything?"

He nodded in desperation.

She grinned, "ok, don't regret it."

"I just did, "he muttered.

She ignored him, "take off your mask Kakashi, take it off."

He hesitated for a while, "Anko, that's one thing I cannot do for you."

"That's really unfair, Kakashi, you promised!"

"Ask for something else."

"…."

"Hello Anko?"

"…."

"Hey! I'm talking to you!"

"I know, I was thinking."

"About what?"

"My mode of communication, to convey that a certain teacher likes a certain maths teacher that is already married!"

"Ok, ok," Kakashi pulled her to a corner, "I'll show you, but if I do, you'll have to know the whole thing."

"Whatever," Anko said.

She reached out for Kakashi's mask. She could feel his eyes intently watching her every move.

Gently she pulled down the mask that concealed most of Kakashi's face. Slowly, it revealed his nose, then his lips and soon, it was completely off.

It never occurred to her that some would hide themselves from the world because they were too good- looking there was no reason for that. Human beings were created to demand attention, not to divert them away. She had prepared herself. She had thought that the only reason he hid his face was because of some horrible disfiguration, but she didn't need to hold back her laughter anymore, because it wasn't funny.

"Whatever you're wondering up there in that complex mind of yours, is nothing compared to the truth, the reason behind all this," Kakashi blocked her train of thoughts, "not may not believe this but I am a secret agent working for the secret organization W.O.O.H.P, the World Organisation Of Human Protection."

He was a spy. That might explain the reason why he was allowed to wear his mask on the identity card.

"I don't quite believe you," Anko said, "I mean, what business does a spy have in a High School?"

"I'm posing as the form teacher of your class so that I can have a watchful eye over Nara Shikamaru," Kakashi whispered, "there has been word that someone is planning an assassination on the child prodigy."

* * *

They were in Kakashi's office ruffling through the different documents, finding the list containing the classes the new students are appointed to. Somehow he had remembered that Sasame was suppose to be in another class, but he had fitted another girl, which was suppose to be in his class.

"You're kind of careless for a spy," Anko said," losing papers, giving your identity away so easily."

"You're the only one cunning enough to trick it out of me," Kakashi muttered.

"And even so, why do you don on that mask? It's a dead give away."

Kakashi laughed, "only to you, cause you know about it. No one will ever suspect that I'm a spy, it's reverse psychology."

* * *

Kurenai wrote the reminder on the side of the board, reminding the students to submit their pair work on time.

Apparently,they weren't allowed to partner the person sitting next to them, they had to pair up with whoever Kurenai paired them up with.

Here are the pairings in no particular order:

Rock Lee and Aburame Shino

Mitarashi Anko and Nara Shikamaru

Yamanaka Ino and Kiba Inuzuka

Haruno Sakura and Sabaku No Gaara

Sabaku No Kankuro and Rice Sasame

Akimichi Chouji and Ten Temari

Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto

Sai and Tenten

Hyuuga Hinata and Hyuuga Neji

"Oh my god!" Kiba screamed, "could this be fate? I'm paired with the most beautiful girl in class?"

"Ino?" Lee said, "dude, she's a totally desperate chick. Haruno Sakura is the only youthful beauty here!" He frowned, "that's such a contrast to her partner, the not so youthful boy called _Gaara_.

Behind them Kankuro and Sasame were practically, blatantly, flirting the fuck out of each other. They were so close, so intimate- it's insane. Picture Batman and er… batgirl?

"If you guys are going to make out," a voice interrupted their intimacy, "then you guys better get the fuck out of here!"

"Oh my god," Sasame push Kankuro away, "Anko," she smiled, "where have you been?"

"Oh just skipping class," she said, "get use to it."

Sasame passed the worksheet with instructions for the assignment on it to Anko, "it's due on Friday, so that's two days later. Oh and your project partner is Shikamaru."

"Shikamaru eh?" she grinned, looks like she could help Kakashi more then he thinks she could.

At the front of the class, Kakashi was preparing for literature lesson, but first, he rummaged through the drawers and folders on the teacher's table. It wasn't there.

"What are you looking for Kakashi sen-sei?" Sakura asked.

"Umm… Sakura, have you seen a blue piece of paper, I must have misplaced it."

Sakura thought for a moment, "hey don't you have a blue paper crane? Why did you get the paper from?"

Hinata shook her head, "I don't know how to fold any origami, Konan gave it to me on the first day of talent class because I was quiet."

The mention of Konan's name caught Sai and Neji's attention.

"Why do you need the blue paper for?" Sakura asked, "is it something important?"

"I'll lose my job," Kakashi said.

Both of them actually, the teaching one and the spying one.

Sakura didn't understand, "why would you?"

Kakashi scratched his head, "I don't know how to explain it to you, Sakura, it's complicated."

* * *

There was a swift knock on the door, the teacher came over to open it. It was Shizune sen- sei, apparently, she was conducting her science lesson, to be specific, biology. They had to pause the educational tape on abortion to answer to Sai's knocking.

"Yes, may I help you?" Shizune asked.

"Is Konan in this class?" Sai tried looking inside, but the classroom lights were switch off to watch the video.

"Konan, it's for you!" Shizune called back into the classroom.

Moments later, the blue haired maiden appeared at the doorway, "yes Sai, what do you want?"

"Well I was wondering if you found a blue piece of paper somewhere in the school and kept it."

"Hold a sec," she went back into the darkness.

A few seconds later she reappeared with a thick stack of blue paper, "here are all the blue paper that are brought into the art room today. There are other colours but they are kept in the art room, Go and take what ever you want."

The stack of papers were as thick as a dictionary, thicker than the one that Anko slammed on the table that morning. The document Kakashi was looking for should be in the stack.

* * *

"… going back to the corner where I first saw you gonna camp in my sleeping bag I'm not gonna move…"

Kakashi had given up the search. He didn't want to blow his cover, so he did what most teacher would do: carry on with the lesson. He'd find the blue piece of paper, somehow.

"So," Kakashi said to the class, "who can explain to me the first two lines of the 'Man who can't be moved' by The Script?"

A few people in the front raised their hands.

"Naruto," Kakashi choose one of the many hands.

"It means the guy has been kicked out of the house," he grinned stupidly, " that's why he has to camp in a sleeping bag."

Kakashi shook his head, disappointed, " Sakura."

"The first line say that the guy is going back to the corner where he first met someone, indicates that he had been there before and met, well, a girl. The second part states that he is going to stay there, unmoved, probably hoping to see this girl again."

Kakashi smiled and nodded at the same time, "great, great. Now if you use the same analytical skills to analyse the whole song, pen it down and practice," Kakashi said, "then your prepared for the upcoming literature test."

Kiba stood up and protested, "but we can't write like her, we can't have a test!"

"That's why practice makes perfect," Kakashi said.

"But no one's perfect," Shikamaru shocked everyone as he hardly ever spoke in class, "so why practice?"

"To improve," Temari muttered, "we pratise to learn from our mistakes to improve."

"But why should we improve?" Shikamaru questioned, " I mean life is just a journey that would eventually end, so we should just enjoy it while it lasts."

"How do we enjoy when half the time we know nothing about the world?" Temari glared at Shikamaru, "unless you enjoy the pleasure of rotting away like the lazy homosapian you are!"

"That's because you're not listening to something you have learnt before, do you know how torturous is that, _bitch_?"

"Well _sorry_ for not being a born genius!" Temari snapped, "try sitting next to a self absorbed idiot, see how that feels, _dighead_!"

_"Slut."_

_"Son of a bitch."_

_"Whore."_

_"Screw you!" _

_"Fuck you!"_

_"_Eww… I won't have sex with_ someone like you"_

_"_Who said I_ wanted to?"_

"You yourself,_ fucker!"_

Kakashi came in between the heated pair, "as enjoyable as this is, I'm afraid I have to stop you to strong debaters!"

The two of them reluctantly sat down. Just then Sai came back to class with a stack of blue paper in his arms. He walked up to Kakashi and handed it to his.

"I hope you find whatever you have been looking for here," Sai said.

"Where did you get this from?" Kakashi asked.

"Konan."

"How did you-"

"Don't ask," Sai interrupted, "it's complicated."

It was a few minutes into the evening and Kakashi was on his way home.

* * *

"So," Anko came out of no where, "is the problem resolved?"

Kakashi nodded sleepishly.

"Are you going to get fired?" Anko asked, "cause I can help you with your mission, Shikamaru is my partner for this maths project."

Kakashi shook his head to indicate that he wasn't fired and nodded to say that it was great to have her helping him with the mission.

"You're an awfully bad spy you know," Anko said, "so careless and easily tired."

He didn't say anything.

She took his briefcase he held on his left hand from him, "are you walking home?"

He nodded.

"Whoa you must have slept very late last night," Anko said, "what did you do?"

"Research on…" he collapsed.

Thank god Anko was quick enough to throw his briefcase under his head before it hit the ground. She looked around to see if anyone saw that. The streets were almost deserted.

She tried to lift Kakashi up, but there were two things that stopped her a) she didn't know where the hell he lived and b) Kakashi was too heavy.

She giggled, she actually did, "some kind of spy you are, Hatake Kakashi."

**End of episode 3**


	4. Episode Four: The Project

A/N: This Chapter is for my friend Abi, she FORCED me to add the GaaSaku scene. So if you do not like it what so ever, do not feel obliged to skip this chapter- though ultimately, Sakura WOULD end up with Sasuke, just as promised. Nothing mushy between them (this would really REALLY upset Abi) but enjoy…

Disclaimer: I do not Naruto, Sonnet 130, My Life Would Suck Without You, Stardust, Pride and Prejudice, Georgia Rule and The Pursuit Of Happyness(there is no typo in 'Happyness' see for yourself) + The Man Who Can't Be Moved, if I didn't add it in the previous episode.

* * *

He woke up in her arms- just as planned. They were where he had collapsed, just stashed away in a near- by alley. He knew she wasn't physically strong enough to drag him to some hotel, lodge or inn.

She was sleeping, with a very peaceful and beautiful face.

He shook his head.

"What the hell Kakashi," he thought, "not this."

Slowly, he got up, making sure he didn't make any sudden movements that might wake her. There his briefcase laid, next to her. He reached for it any unclasped the secret compartment that was well hidden under all the teaching nonsense. There he withdrew a black folder with the label 'Tajuu Kage No Bu Jutsu Project'. There was a picture inside, a small one, that could have been easily lost amongst the other larger snippets of paper, news articles, sketches, statistics… The picture showed a woman's left shoulder and imprinted on it was a tattoo. A circular outline with three teardrops inside

If he wasn't wrong, Anko had the exact same tattoo at the exact same spot. He went over to her and pulled her sleeping body towards him.

She fell onto his torso.

Kakashi almost fell backwards, thank god he didn't, his other hand was supporting him. Carefully, he reached for her jacket and pulled it off her left shoulder, he looked through the whole of her fishnet shirt, finding for the tattoo.

"There it is," he muttered, "the tattoo."

* * *

Sakura flipped through her pink diary planner and sighed, "today we have a test, a literature test on poetry."

"I have to hand in my art piece," Hinata said as she wore her shoe, "it's going to be so great!"

"Orochimaru sen- sei said that we have to work on a super cool project today!" Ino squeled.

Tenten smacked her forehead, "the test, I forgotten to study for it!"

"You can't study for literature, just memorise the damn poetry devices," Temari said, "I'm starting on my fucked up video today."

They got into the jeep, today it was Tenten's turn to drive.

"So, what's your topic?" Sakura asked.

Temari smirked, "what's more devastation that being called a slut, whore and being totally fucked up?"

"Umm… what?" Hinata asked.

"Shikamaru calling you that," Temari snapped, "that's why I won't mind hurting his feelings by making this hate video starring him."

Ino had a terrible hunch.

A bad one.

"Temari…" Ino called.

Temari kind of knew that Ino was going to react in this way. Ino didn't trust Temari enough to let her do this.

"You watch tons of movies right?" Ino asked.

Temari nodded.

"You know those kinds where they start the whole show with this girl hating this guy?" Ino paused, "they will _always_ end up together."

"Apparently Ino," Temari said, "my life isn't a movie."

"I was just making sure," Ino muttered, "in case…"

"In case what? Ino?" Temari tried to restrain anger from flowing into her voice, "in case I fall deeply in love with Shikamaru and elope to some other place and have wicked good sex and have _fillions_ of babies and live happily ever after? In case what?"

"IN CASE THAT," Ino screamed, "IN CASE, YOU, MY BEST FRIEND, END UP HAPPILY EVER AFTER WITH THIS GUY I LIKE."

"BEST FRIENDS?" Temari said skeptically, "best friends? If I were you best friend, you should know that best friends won't steal each other's crushes!"

"How do you know?" Ino half cried, "you can't control Shikamaru's feelings, how would you know that he wouldn't fall in love with you?"

"Hey!" Tenten halted the car, "strop fighting I need to concentrate on the damn road and you guys are preventing me from doing that! There are two things you can do: a) shut the fuck up, b) get the hell out of here!

Temari got out, "whatever," she slammed the door.

"Hey!" Ino shouted after her, "sorry get back in here. School is still a long way!"

Temari turned around grinning, "we have reached school you idiot!"

Sakura, Hinata and Tenten started laughing out loud, attracting many people's attention, one of which was Ino's crush, Shikamaru, who had just came out of his jet black limo.

She watched him, seeming unattracted to the pack of laughing hyenas and walk over to Temari, who stood there watching them laugh their heads off.

She not to frown, or rather, tried not to notice the scene.

You know those instances where you laugh like a mad cow and get so damn caught up with heinous laughter that you simply cry? Well Ino did cry while laughing.

But not because it was funny.

Nor was it because she was being tickled. (why would she be?)

The truth is,

She was hurt.

Inside.

That someone that has always been in the background, the calefare, the extra, was now the apple of somebody's eye. And it would have been good if it wasn't Nara Shikamaru's pair of eyes.

"I told you Temari," she thought to herself, "I've told you that you couldn't control his feelings."

* * *

The literature test just started seconds ago…

The text was the following:

_Sonnet 130_

_My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; __  
__Coral is far more red than her lips' red; __  
__If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; __  
__If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. __  
__I have seen roses damask'd, red and white, __  
__But no such roses see I in her cheeks; __  
__And in some perfumes is there more delight __  
__Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. __  
__I love to hear her speak, yet well I know __  
__That music hath a far more pleasing sound; __  
__I grant I never saw a goddess go; __  
__My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground: __  
__And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare __  
__As any she belied with false compare._

_-William Shakespeare_

"Shakespeare," Naruto hissed under his breathe, "must you speak in a language understood by so few?"

Tenten felt like pulling her hair out of their freaking roots.

Sakura and Sasuke were secretly having this competition for speed, seeing who writes the fastest and the longest.

Hinata just sat there thinking.

Chouji eyed Shikamaru's paper.

Shikamaru slid his completed essay to Chouji's side.

Anko wasn't even doing the damn paper.

Gaara and Kankuro just finished writing down their names.

Kiba just gave up after writing: _This test is shit._

Lee only wrote nonsense.

Sai, Shino and Neji nodded and grinned- they've predicted this sonnet the night before.

Temari wrote down the first things that came into her mind.

Ino was merely plucking her eyebrows.

And lastly, the new girl Matsuri tried her her best to write down stuff that are actually sensible.

When the damn test was over, everyone just moaned at the shortage of time and reluctantly handed in their scripts.

Well, once all the papers were collected back, Sakura and Sasuke made their way to Shikamaru's table, both demanding the answer- he was a genius afterall.

"Why don't you that bitch next door?" Was what came out of his lazy mouth, "she had a hell lot of personal opinions of this freaking essay, you ought to find the answer… _somewhere_…"

She ignored him.

She figured that the only way to stop him from picking on her was to ignore him, give him the _silent treatment_.

He chuckled, "very funny Temari, you're _surely_ not giving me the _silent treatment_? Are you?"

Damn, he was smart.

That was seriously the last thing that restrained her from creating that fucking video of hers. Oh, it's on.

"Since you despise me so much…" she snapped.

"So now you're talking?" He grinned.

She rolled her eyes, "what are the chances that you'll say yes to me filming down all the instances and reasons why I fucking hate you?"

Inner Ino was hollering: NONONONONONONONONONO…

Inner Temari was hoping: YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES…

Inner Shikamaru was muttering: IKNEWITIKNEWITIKNEWIT…

Inner Sakura was moaning: ANSWERSANSWERSANSWERSANSWERS…

Inner Sasuke was dancing(?): …

"Let's see…" he pretended to contemplate the chances, "well, my figures say that the probability is… 99. recurring 9% chances."

"So is that a yes or no, Nara?" Temari said curtly.

Inner Ino: NONONONONONONONONO…

"Yeah," he said coolly.

Temari gave a face, "seriously? I mean… I thought…" She had never, never, displayed vulnerability so easily, her predictions were somewhat never, never wrong- that's what you get when you watch too much movies, you know what's going to happen.

"Well you thought wrong."

Temari should never have done that. Ino thought that she was just joking. With all that hardcore laughter and madness, she thought that Temari was just pulling her leg. Little did she knew that her pretty assumption was- unlike Temari's- VERY off.

Well at least she's got Neji.

Of at least she wanted him.

What about Shikamaru then?

Was she just going to cast him aside?

How could she? He was never hers.

* * *

"Girls, girls," a voice burst through the doors, "settle down. I've got the greatest news!"

It was Orochimaru sen- sei.

Everyone sat down on the chairs perfectly laid out in the auditorium. Unfortunately for Ino, Karin and her gang sat next to her. All the way at the front.

"Remember the totally awesome project I told you about?" Orochimaru paused to observe silence, "well it's truly totally fantastic!

"Principal Tsunabe has specially picked our talent class to…." he held them in suspense for a while, "ORGANISE THE…"

* * *

"Homecoming dance?" Sakura repeated, "whoa this _is_ really scary

Ino raised a brow, "what do you mean?"

"Nothing, nothing," she didn't want Ino and Temari to be only a cold-war again, even if it's short- term, "so are you going home now?"

Ino nodded, "just waiting for Tenten and Hinata, they're still at talent class."

"What about…" she had to ask, "…Temari?"

Ino cringed at the mention of Temari's name- it was that serious- she dreadfully hoped that Sakura wouldn't ask her about it, being the smart one among all 5 of them, "Tenten told me that Hinata told her that Temari told her that she was going to this video store near- by the school, she would be back in time for dinner though."

And that was the truth.

"Ok," Sakura nodded, satisfied, "me too, my partner and I decided to stay back in school to discuss the project."

"What project?"

"The one you obviously forgot about."

* * *

The basket of balls landed with a 'thud' on the ground. They closed the door to the sports equipment storeroom.

"Thanks for helping with the balls," Pein smiled down at Tenten.

She blushed, "it's alright."

"Are you sure no one is waiting for you?" Pein enquired, "I mean aren't all you good friends waiting for you?"

Yeah, they are.

"Nah," Tenten denied, "I was worried that they would starve waiting for me, so I told them to go back first."

"So you're walking home on foot?"

"Yes," Tenten nodded, "walking back home with my two legs that are worn out playing soccer. But it's alright, we live only _30_ blocks away."

"30?" Pein said in disbelief.

"Yup a solid 30 blocks," Tenten nodded.

Just take away the zero.

Inner Tenten: LET ME HITCH A RIDE!

"Beepbeep! Beepbeep!" Pein digital watch sounded.

Pein looked at it and panicked, "Sorry Tenten, need to go. My girlfriend's probably waiting for me."

Oh right, she forgot all about his little starling, Konan. That sort of made her angry, well mostly. She could feel the intensity she felt when she heard her name echo in her airy head. Konan, Konan, Konan, it said. If it wasn't for that bitch, her goal would have been much simpler.

Yes, her goal. The one she found she had a few days ago during soccer practice.

Soccer goals were easy, but this goal, this goal was particularly hard. In soccer the obstacles you face before reaching your goal are the players. Well this goal was different, the only thing standing in her way was that pretty little birdy, Konan.

But she was partially alright with it.

Afterall, she'll always reach her goal.

No matter how far away it may be, she would definitely reach it.

But little did she know that seducing Pein would be hard than she thought.

* * *

They had been at it for ½ an hour and they had made minimal progress.

Gaara was focused, sure he was- just at the wrong things.

Whenever they talk about something actually pertaining to the project they would somehow- she didn't know how- sidetrack and start talking about a damn popular subject- Temari

Honestly, how many people mentioned her name today? Honestly?

There was Hinata, Tenten, Ino and herself, but hey they were friends, roommates, classmates, they_ had _to say each other's name at least twice a day! Then there were the teachers, who called Temari to answer questions- they know she NEVER pay attention, no matter how focused she seemed. You also have to include Shikamaru who called Temari more than they ever would to- as Tenten said- 'harass' her. Now, the most quietest in class, the most rowdy one was calling Temari's name? Has Temari secretly taken over the world? Has she?

"Gaara," she said, "ever since we started on this damn project all you ever ask about is Temari! Temari this, Temari that! What's your deal with Temari?"

"You sound jealous," Gaara muttered, "why can't I talk about Temari?"

"One, I'm NOT jealous," Sakura tried to control her temper, her doctor recommended squishing something soft, "two, do you like Temari?"

"HELL NO, NO WAY," Gaara shot up from her chair, "NEVER EVER, OVER MY DEAD BODY, I FREAKING CAN'T!"

Sakura was suspicious, "why can't you?"

Shoot! Why did it just slip out of his fucking mouth? He can't tell her the truth, he couldn't.

"Umm… Because… Because… Shikamaru likes her?" He lied.

Another popular subject has risen into the conversation- Shikamaru.

"How do you know?" Sakura asked, "did he tell you personally?"

"Err… yes?"

"That's High School for you," she sighed, "tons and tons of drama."

"Everyone crushes on everyone, everyone hates everyone, stuff like that?" Gaara asked.

"For most parts," Sakura dropped her mechanical pencil on the floor of the library.

They both bent down to pick it up, consequently knocking into each other's forehead. They blushed.

"Sorry," Sakura stammered, "I have a huge forehead."

Gaara reached for the pencil lying innocently on the floor, "I though I was the only one."

He noticed the small spot slowly reddening on the forehead. Looks like he had knocked her harder than he had thought, or she was extremely prone to injuries. But he doubts the latter.

"Whoa, that was a hard knock," Gaara casually commented, "you're swelling."

Sakura gently touched her forehead and cringed at the pain. She was _that _sensitive to injuries. She fiddled around her bag desperately trying to find a compact mirror. Hopeful Ino had accidentally dropped one of hers into her bag. But she ended up with nothing. Nothing that can reflect her image. Zilch. So much for being part of the Red Cross, how could she cure someone else when she couldn't even take care of her self?

Gaara when closer to her with sent chills down her spine. He gently touched the spot and she winced. It never occurred to her that Gaara could come across as the caring kind, he always seemed so distant, such a loner and focused. He didn't really pay much attention to his brother either. His brother, Kankuro. They were the same age- possible. But Gaara looks so full of youth compared to Kankuro who was much taller in comparison and more fully developed. Gaara's voice still had that childish ring in it, like it hasn't been broken. Whereas Kankuro has a deep voice for someone his age.

"Gaara," she said, "who's older? You or Kankuro?"

"Kankuro," he said monotonously.

"How much older is he?"

_3 years._

"About 9 months or so," Gaara said, "why do you ask?"

"Just like Tenten and Temari," she murmured.

Gaara stopped what he was doing and froze at the mention of Temari's name. He paused for a few seconds before realizing his obvious reaction and started continuing whatever he was doing before.

"What's your deal with her again?" Sakura asked, "do you prefer her to be your sibling? Do you? Cause that seems to be the problem, you seem really unsatisfied to be Kankuro's younger brother."

He couldn't tell her, he couldn't tell her the truth. No matter what. No matter how fond he was of her. He just couldn't.

"I… love… Kankuro ok, as a brother and… nothing can change that," Gaara said, "there are just some secrets that are need to be kept, even from the most innocent people like …you, Sakura."

" 'I… love…' you said it so hesitantly, like there was some script that you are reading and that you a constantly bound to this script, I don't like to dig my nose into other people's business, but if it concerns Temari, I'm afraid that it shall… stay like that, unless… you, Gaara, tell me what's going on."

* * *

They've been there for over an hour and Shikamaru was getting bored.

"You can go," Temari said from behind the DVD rack, "you shouldn't have came along."

"No, no," he said almost immediately, "I'm glad to be witnessing The- Very- Boring- Life- Of- Temari."

"At least it's better than playing your stupid chess!" Temari snapped.

"Have you played it before?"

_No she hasn't._

"…Yes… And I can assure you there is nothing more dreadful than moving stupid …blocks around the stupid… block board."

He grinned and I ticks her off when he does that, it normally meant that he knew that she was vulnerable.

"So," he changed the subject, intending not to cause any further mortification to her, "what's the point in watching all this? It isn't benefiting you in any way, they are just being a nuisance, so troublesome."

She rolled her eyes, "for starters, it's giving me a brilliant head start to how you terrorize and irritate me to my wits- great evidence for my video. Second, well, if you haven't notice, every _normal_ person has a hobby, _unfortunately_ for you, mine is watching movies, so please, shut up."

The music blasting through the stereo system of the store filled the space between them for a while. It was playing 'My Life Would Suck Without You' by Kelly Clarkson.

"Pride and Prejudice?" he was suddenly at her side.

"Fucking lord!" Temari jumped, "hell, don't scare my like that!"

He ignored her, "the book is well written, but it's so thick, what a drag."

"I've always wanted to watch this," she told him, "but it's always on loan when I ask for it."

He took the other DVD from her hands, "Georgia Rule, never watched it before."

"Good, so I wouldn't feel so demoralized standing next to you," she muttered, "genius."

He grinned, again, "watch this, my personal favourite."

This ought to be good, a genius's favourite movie. Probably something political, but that wasn't Shikamaru. He hated politics. Maybe some inspirational film, like 'The Pursuit Of Happyness', could be, but it doesn't seem to inspire him at all, he's still his usual lazy state. Please not make it a documentary, she hated those. Greek mythology would be fine, but other than that, the rest where boring.

"Stardust?" She said in disbelief, "Nara Shikamaru likes Stardust?"

"Have you actually watched it before?" Shikamaru said, "it's really good."

She frowned, "no, I haven't," she admitted, "I'll borrow it."

Once they were done with all the scanning and paying for the loan(Shikamaru paid for it), they grabbed their school bags and started heading out of the huge Video Warehouse/ Store. Shikamaru's butler would be waiting for him outside and Temari would make her way home on foot. But something else entirely changed their plans.

* * *

"It's raining," Ino said, looking out of the window.

"It is?" Hinata came to see for herself, "oh no," she looked towards the door step where they kept all their umbrellas, "Sakura and Temari didn't bring their umbrellas."

"Should we pick them up?" Tenten asked getting the car keys ready, "it's just 2 blocks away for Temari and 3 for Sakura."

* * *

"They never said that it would rain," Sakura said, they were at the sheltered walkway to the school gate, "the weather forecast said that today would be partially cloudy but the chances of raining would be 20%"

Gaara took out his umbrella, "there's still a possibility," he walked into the rain, sheltered by his umbrella, leaving Sakura behind.

He took a few steps and stopped.

Gulit was an evil thing.

Fondness was worse.

* * *

He was smart and rich. She never knew that sitting in a limo was so damn cool. There was the long, black leather seats. The drinks stand and an ATM machine! Fuck this guy was loaded!

She tried not to seem so damn excited and naïve, but she couldn't help it, she hardly- never- got to sit in a limo before. All her life, the closest thing was to see Ino drive of the their school dances in limos, but she never got to sit in one.

"Don't make it seem like a big deal," Shikamaru said, "it's just a limo."

"Just a limo?" Temari felt like punching this filthy rich bastard, was he boasting about his wealth? "Well I'm _sorry_ for being poor."

"You don't need a limo to be rich," he paused to consider a thought for a while, " you can have it if you want."

"NO WAY!" Temari screamed, "FOR REAL?"

He pushed her back down to her seat.

"Seriously?" she spoke softer, "with the drink stand and the… the… ATM machine?"

"Which is still loaded with cash," he assured her.

When she was at the peak of elation, she realized something and pondered that thought for a while.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Temari asked, "what's in it for you?"

He laughed, "we sound like drug dealers, well if you really need to know, which would be thoroughly troublesome, it's because I'll do anything for you," he paused, "materialistic bitch."

"SHUT UP NARA!"

"So now we're using surnames eh? It's alright, I'll still be there for you, SUPERFICIAL WHORE!"

She went over to him and got him his throat, ready to strangle him, "if Stardust isn't a nice show," she said, "you're so dead."

"Butler," Shikamaru called, "you know what happened if you don't see me after school."

The butler was too traumatized to say anything.

* * *

"She left," the counter person said, "with this black- haired guy in a limo."

* * *

"So?" Ino said, once Hinata returned to the car, "where is she?"

"She went back home," Hinata said, "they loaned her an umbrella."

* * *

"Hey," Temari wrapped a towel around Sakura who just stepped into the house, "you're drenched."

"And you are not," Sakura said, "how did you do it?"

"Shikamaru."

Sakura stepped back, "he fucking sent you home?" she didn't wait for a reply, "does Ino know about this?"

"No."

"Then don't tell her," she thought for awhile, "they must have went to the video store to fetch you."

Sakura's phone rang, she answered it, "hello, hey Hinata, yes she's home, does Ino know about this? Ok, cool, oh my god, yes yes yes. I'll tell her."

"So?" Temari asked once Sakura hung up the phone, "what did she say?"

* * *

That evening, the three came home to find Sakura in the kitchen preparing dinner and Temari in the living room watching Stardust. They were before wet. One in rain water the other in the shower. There was a new umbrella in the basket. One Ino has never seen before and it was soaked.

* * *

It was quite late and Sasuke was up doing the project the Naruto had refused to help with. He somehow got sidetracked and went to Youtube to watch some videos. It was a hobby of his.

And among the top viewed videos there was one that caught his eye. The one right at the bottom of the page. It was entitled 'High School Scandal' . Normally such thing didn't interest him, but he could help but recognize the faces in the video, how familiar they were. Until he remembered them to be from his class.

The next day, everyone in school knew about it. Everyone. The teachers, the cleaners, the seniors, their classmates, everyone. Only Gaara, Kankuro, Sakura, Hinata, Tenten, Ino, Temari and Shikamaru remain oblivious to the matter.

**End of Episode 4**

A/N: Hey Abi, if you're reading this, you'd be overjoyed to hear that the GaaSaku thing would continue till the next Episode… But fear not, Sakura is still destined to be with Sasuke! And about the Shakespeare sonnet, I couldn't find anything better.

Episode 4: Rumors

Read it Read it!


	5. Episode Five: Rumors

A/N: Hey hey hey, this is Episode 5: Rumors. Hope you guys enjoy it. P.S Brain, thanks for the comment I'll try to inject some emotion into the characters and don't worry, Neji will appear more often in future episodes.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I never will.

* * *

On Monday, the girls were welcomed back to school, after their very typical weekend, with whispers and stares. Everyone who knew them and some who don't started pointing and giggling( for girls).

"That's the girl," a sophomore muttered, "the one from the video."

"Yes, I know," her friend whispered back, "I recognize her, who can't? Bet she's the only one here with pink hair."

_Pink hair_.

"Well well well," Karin walked up to them with her group of girls, "isn't it the _High School Celebrities_."

"What the hell do you want Karin," Ino stepped up to her, "what the fuck are you bitching about? What _High School Celebrities_?"

She smirked and handed them a disk. It was a plain disk, nothing written on either sides. They looked at her, confused.

"What the fuck is this?" Sakura asked.

"Watch for yourself," Karin walked away leaving the girls feeling so dumbfounded.

Temari automatically took out her Apple Laptop which she kept with her 24/7. It started up rather quickly and without caring to load, she immediately slid the disk into the notebook.

What had Karin meant about _High School Celebrities_? Why was she calling them that? What did they do to deserve to be called that? They wanted to know.

"Are you sure it's playing?" Sakura asked after seeing the lack of reaction the laptop has to the newly inserted disk, "do you have the correct player?"

They were standing in the middle of the hallway, too lazy to even bother to move to some other less congested area. Slowly the number of students that gathered around them increased by the seconds and soon their air had to be share with 20 other students.

"My VCL Player should be able to read any format," Temari said, just then the video started.

Turns out the video was snippets of the conversation Gaara and Sakura had in the library last Friday. That was decent enough.

The catch was.

It was edited.

The gist of the conversation was completely different from the actual one they had.

Very.

In the video, it shows Sakura confessing her love to Gaara who was not interested in her at all.

No, he wasn't.

He preferred someone else.

Someone called Temari.

The scene changes showing the set of a video warehouse a block away from school. The name of the warehouse was censored but it was rather obvious which store it was.

Apparently, Temari, the girl Gaara crushes on, was in an intimate relationship with her video project subject, Nara Shikamaru.

She was sighted stepping into Shikamaru's limo after their trip to the warehouse.

And just when you think this couldn't get any worse.

The video openly announced Yamanaka hidden feelings for this young prodigy.

From that moment the lives of these 5 people were officially ruined.

* * *

"YOU WENT TO THE VIDEO STORE WITH HIM?" They heard Ino screaming at Temari in the toilet, "WHY DID YOU? YOU KNEW THAT I LIKED HIM!"

It was lunchtime and all the freshmen were release from class.

"CHILL INO," Temari shouted back, "FUCKING SHUT UP AND HEAR ME OUT. SHIKAMARU FOLLOWED ME. I DIDN'T ASK HIM TO FOLLOW ME. HE DID IT OUT OF HIS OWN WILL!"

"SO NOW YOU'RE SAYING THAT SHIKAMARU LIKES YOU?"

"HELL NO! SINCE WHEN DID I SAY THAT? IT WAS FOR THE PROJECT!"

"SO IF I CATCH THE TWO OF YOU HAVING SEX, WOULD YOU SAY IT'S FOR THE PROJECT?"

"NO, I WOULDN'T EVEN SCREW HIM TO BEGIN WITH!"

"What's the problem with this bloody bitch?" Temari thought, "why does she have to like Shikamaru to this degree? What happened to Sasuke? Or Neji? I thought she liked them too? I thought she was a complete slut? Willing to throw herself to any random boy? When is she going to fucking learn that she is not the most beautiful girl here and start getting real? She can't have each and every guy she liked, haven't the Sasuke incident taught her anything?"

"I DON'T FUCKING CARE I YOU WANT TO SCREW HIM OR NOT," Ino yelled, "THE QUESTION IS…"

* * *

Outside, everyone that happened to walk by slowly joined the crowd, listening to the fight between the two girls. Sakura, Hinata and Tenten tried too shoo them all away, but there were too many people and somehow they overpowered the three of them.

"…DOES HE WANT TO SCREW YOU?" She was crying, Yamanaka Ino was crying. She was crying because she knew that she had lost, lost to someone who has failed to realize this competition, this fight between the two of them.

Temari saw her tears she saw how desperately, how truly Ino likes Shikamaru and she was getting in her way. It was tough enough to make Shikamaru like her and even harder to feel insecure about herself. She didn't know how it felt to feel that someone you like, likes your best friend more than they like you. She never liked a guy before, her world was only about film making, movies and technology. She knew what she wanted, she had a goal. They all did, Sakura, Hinata, Tenten and herself, all of them, except Ino. Cause unlike the rest of them, Ino didn't really have a future. She didn't have the brains. The only reason why she got into this class was because her family was rich, other than that, she lost to her other friends in so many levels. Sure she was pretty, sure she was hot. But that didn't make her any better than an ornament on a Christmas tree. Inside, Ino knew that she was effectively unless, Ino told her before, when they became friends, that she knew that one day she will be a nobody. That was why she didn't care about most things, she was a risk taker.

"No, he doesn't," Temari said, "he won't."

"How do you know," Ino looked up at Temari.

"Cause I've watched tons of movies and I know for sure," Temari paused and smiled, "that my life isn't one."

* * *

"…and they think that their in a relationship, but actually, they're not," Sakura paused, "so that's about it."

"So let me get this straight," Neji sat up, "Gaara doesn't like you nor does he have a crush on Temari. Shikatema doesn't exist and Ino doesn't like Shikamaru?"

Not anymore.

"Yup," Sakura said, "and what on earth is Shikatema?"

"Oh," Neji chuckled, "that's what people are calling Shikamaru and Temari, I thought you're the smart alec?"

"I-" Sakura started.

"SAKURA," Tenten came running from the corner, "Naruto fell down, he's bleeding!"

* * *

They used the excuse for the importance of the video project to talk, about what was seriously bothering her right now. The video on Youtube.

"Of course Sakura is mad," Temari said, "come one, people think that she has her heart set for this… this… guy."

"Well she doesn't seem mad," Shikamaru said playing around with the many chess pieces, "she's still going about her daily activities happily."

She was pissed. How could he sit here and not care about the video publicly displayed on the _World Wide Web_. Thinking about those three words made her want to have nothing to do with computer work ever again. Who the fuck would do such a thing?

_Right_, she told herself, _someone with no life_.

"Get a life freak," she muttered under her breath.

"Don't hit me," she could feel Shikamaru breathing down her neck, "someone's watching us."

Before she could look around, he held tightly, close to him.

It was all too sudden for her. The hair all over her body jolted up. Her face was flushed. She could feel herself being pushed against his chest, his arms around her. Is hands crawling around the small of her back. She could hear his breathing, the water droplets evaporating from her heated skin.

No one was there, well except for the nasty spy spying on them, other than that no one. That's why he could afford to do something like that.

"If you look around," Shikamaru continued, "she will know that we are aware of her."

"She?" She stammered.

"Yes she," he said softly against her skin, "she is too careless to allow the sun to cast her silhouette on the tree."

She moved, just her eye balls. Stretching it to the side, hoping to catch a glimpse of the shadow. There it was. painted against the bark of the mahogany tree that stood beside them. She could easily make out the figure of a girl with shoulder length hair and a camcorder on one hand.

"She's taping this!" Temari whispered.

"I know."

She felt stupid.

"So," Temari said, "how is this going to help us?"

"Well, you're enjoying it, aren't you?"

She blushed, "who knew Nara Shikamaru had a sense of humour," she paused, "I'm serious."

"Troublesome woman," he muttered, "anyway, I suppose she is going to post this online tonight so-"

"You're letting her post this online?" Temari gasped, "how could he?" she thought, "I thought he wanted all this to stop! I feel so betrayed."

"Then you think of a better way to do this," he urged, when she didn't answer he continued, "as I was saying, she might post it online tonight, so was might as well find out which angle she's filming this from and tomorrow we'll-"

"Tomorrow?" he tighten his hug which made her flinch, "ok, ok. Tomorrow…?"

"Tomorrow we will get her," he continued, "I don't know how to explain this to you, you won't understand."

"If you're indirectly calling me stupid, I'm ignoring it."

"Whatever, just follow my lead," he leaned back, "so," he said in a tone loud enough for someone a mile away to hear, "we'll _meet tomorrow_ at the _same time_ and _same place_. _Don't forget to come_ cause there is something _very important_ I want to tell you about," he cringed a little before spitting the last word out of his mouth, "_us_."

She got want he meant.

"So this is the 'elaborate plan' that I wouldn't understand eh?" she thought to herself, "Trick her to coming back here tomorrow where we are prepared to catch her by surprise… I have to say, it's simple yet effective."

"Ok," Temari said in the same volume as Shikamaru did, "I _will_ be prepared for the _very important thing_ about _**us**_."

She stressed alot on the '_**us**_'. Hoping the spy got the message.

She didn't want to scream, but she had to.

"OH MY SHIT," her scream shocked Shikamaru, "THAT IS A FUCKING HUGE BEE!"

_And I thought death was the scariest thing_, he rolled his eyes, _her scream is a practical earthquake generator. _

The bee, which was the size of two thumbs, flew past Shikamaru and Temari and was headed for the direction of the spy- if she was there.

The bee flew past the alleged spy. Into the school backyard and headed for the school's green house. It flew into the entrance of the greenhouse and into the palm of a black haired boy- Shino.

He held it close to his ear as if he is hearing the buzzes of the bee as words. He nodded like he understood and smiled like he knew. Knew who was behind all this mess and all the rumors.

"Who'd ever thought that it was her," Shino thought out loud.

* * *

"What is this?" Anko asked, holding out a paper, "who gave you the right to do this?"

Kakashi looked up from his desk and realized that Anko had found the form along with the letter, "the principal."

"So these are your candidates for the new class?" Anko asked, "erase my name."

She was playing around with Kakashi's things while he was sleeping in his staffroom cubicle. Apparently she had found a piece of paper with a note attached to the back from the Principal.

She was angry when she read it, "so Kakashi has plans to send me away to an even more fucked up class, eh?" she scoffed, "That bloody faggot!"

She read through the list of names again:

_CANIDATES FOR THE NEW INGENUITY CLASS STARTING ON FEBRUARY 09:-_

_MITARASHI ANKO_

_UCHIHA SASUKE_

_HARUNO SAKURA_

_NARA SHIKAMARU _

_HYUGA NEJI _

_1.__

_2.__

"So you can only have two picks," Anko said, "I'm I right?"

Kakashi nodded.

"Great my chances of getting in are only 20%" Anko smiled, "I'm I right?"

"Wrong," Kakashi looked up, "You and Shikamaru both have 30% chance of getting in, that's because you're both born geniuses. The rest, well, only 13.333333333…%"

"What's wrong with you Hatake Kakashi?" Anko almost screamed, "don't you get it? I don't want to be smart, I don't want to be a genius anymore. That was what made me like this. THAT WAS WHY MY PARENTS DO NOT WANT ME ANYMORE!"

She knelt down, bitting her lips preventing them from forming into a frown, "I didn't freeze them, that was a terrible lie. They abandoned me. They left me in the open when I was just a little girl. All because I did a careless mistake, a careless mistake in the GMPC."

"GMPC?" Kakashi spoke in a soft voice.

"Global Mathematics and Physics Competition," Anko said quietly, "it was a competition only for the most brilliant and advanced young minds in the world. Kids with IQ way exceeding 200 could enter, but couldn't survive. I went, all the way to the finals, up against this other guy called _Uchiha Itachi_."

She said the name with such hatred and remorse, like she was going to kill the person.

"You do know he's in our school right?" Kakashi asked.

"Can't avoid that fact," Anko said glumly, "just avoid that bloody fucker."

"Is that why you hate Sasuke so much?" Kakashi asked, "because he looks exactly like Itachi?"

Anko looked up, surprise written all over her face, "how did you know I hated Uchiha? I don't show it that clearly."

Kakashi nodded, agreeing to her statement, "yes, indeed you don't, but, I'm a spy remember?"

Anko thought for awhile, until something she had almost forgotten hit her. It was something so clearly written, and because it's so clearly written out for everyone to see, people do not notice it that much. It was something like 'not realizing that the answer was just in front of you' thing. She leaned in closer to Kakashi, as if she was about to tell him something that would change the course of time- which she was.

"Then do you know that," Anko paused and hesitated to tell Kakashi, "Sasuke is Itachi's brother?"

* * *

"There," Neji said, tying the bandage together, "you're safe."

Naruto eyed Neji carefully, "hmmm…, it had never occurred to me that you were the caring type."

Neji kept his already straight face, "bandaging your wound does count me as caring," he paused to look at Sakura, "Sakura couldn't do it that's why I did it, or else I wouldn't have."

It came, so quickly. It made his heart skip a beat and then it left. He knew what was this feeling, he had it very seldomly, but he still knew what it meant.

That feeling, that sensation meant that at that moment, at that very minute, he had to check the cards. There was something he ought to know, there was something that they wanted to tell him.

He took out his deck of tarot cards and spread them, faced down on the nearby table. Everyone gathered round him, wondering, 'what on earth was this guy doing?'

He reached out his hand and hovered it above the cards. He closed his eyes, like he was feeling for the aura of the perfect card.

There it was.

His eyes shot open. And his hand went over to pick up the card. Slowly, he slid it off the table and brought it to eye level.

_What the…_

* * *

They were down to the final two opponents, Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi.

Sasuke had single handedly defeated all the amateur players especially, Kakuzu. Now he was up against Itachi, the Taekwondo prodigy _and_ the child genius.

They bowed and looked at each other before taking their stance.

"You may look like me," Itachi said, "our surnames may be the same, however, we fight very differently. Are you ready Uchiha Sasuke?"

Sasuke grinned, "he can't beat me with my Sharingan," he thought.

"Ready?" Kakuzu signaled for them to take position, "and start!"

Sasuke went, head first, confident with himself. He lauched a series of punches and kicks for Itachi, he knew which side Itachi would dodge first.

"Dodge left and you're dead," Sasuke thought.

Itachi did dodge, but not to the left, but instead to the right.

"No, how could he have escaped my Sharingan?"

* * *

Gaara was out searching for Matsuri, he was suppose to teach her how to play the double bass, but she didn't show up for talent class. He thought he had it lucky- he didn't need to teach her now- but the teacher in charge made him look for her. No one was suppose to skip talent class.

He had search everywhere. The cafeteria, the classrooms, the hall, the computer lab, the science labs, the gym… but the couldn't find her.

Finally he gave up and started heading back to his talent class which was located next to the sick bay.

When he turned round the corner, he caught sight of someone, couching just outside the doorway of the sick bay, like he/ she was eavesdropping the conversation happening inside.

Then that short, brown hair struck him. It was so familiar. That outfit, he had seen it today, the combination of a green top, a yellow bandana round the neck… it was Matsuri!

* * *

"… the Seeker," Neji murmured.

Swiftly, he turned around, to face many of his couched down friends. He looked over their heads, around the sick- bay. There at the entrance he spotted a cubicle, black box and a lens. There was a small flashing red dot.

_A camera_, he thought fantically, "someone is recording us," he said as he pushed past his friends."

It caught them by surprise, Naruto and Sakura didn't know how to react. Tenten spaced out for awhile before deciding that some red- cross, pansy, divination freak wouldn't be able to catch that spy. She went after him. Afterall, soccer had made her legs strong.

She dashed out to the direction of the band practice area, that was where she last saw Neji's white shirt disappear round the corner.

"HEY," she shouted, "WAIT UP!"

"TENTEN!" Naruto screamed, "WE NEED TO GET BACK TO SOCCER PRACTICE OR ELSE PEIN…"

There was no point shouting, he knew Tenten was far from ear- shot, she ran fucking fast. He struggled to get up, Sakura didn't know weather to help or to prevent him.

"You really shouldn't," Sakura decided to prevent, "Pein will understand, Tenten says that he is-"

Naruto turned back, "don't ever say someone like Pein is nice," he breathed, "Tenten doesn't know a shit about Pein. She doesn't know the real reason why my leg is injured!"

With that he dashed out of the sick bay with a wounded leg, limping, up and down.

Sakura chased after him, but soon realized she couldn't. As soon as she stepped out of the sick bay, she was knocked down by on coming Gaara, who apparently was chasing after Matsuri.

"Ooofff," she felt Gaara's weight on her, laying there like a dead corpse.

His face, inches away from hers and their legs twined together.

* * *

Itachi kept dodging his attack, wherever Sasuke expected him to dodge, Itachi dodges the other direction. If he decided to punch Itachi's stomach- which he was sure was hard to dodge- Itachi simply held his on- coming fist in his large palm, stopping Sasuke from punching him.

This stopped Sasuke's flow of attacks and gave Itachi he chance to start attacking.

Sasuke saw Itachi was about to punch him from the left, he simply dodged to the right. But then he faced an on- coming fist and dodged underneath, barely missing it.

He twisted to Itachi's back and used his middle and index finger, intending the hit the back of Itachi's knees, making him jerk a little, weakening the knee muscles. But when he did it and didn't miss, he thought that his finally got it. Instead, Itachi didn't flinch like he had expected him to, Itachi stood there firm and still.

Sasuke knew that doing more wouldn't work so he quickly stood up and faced Itachi.

He met a similar pair of eyes. Flaring red and black.

He took a step back, not believing his eyes.

All Itachi did was grin before heading for Sasuke with full force.

* * *

It was like a wild animal chase. Neji was chasing the spy, with Tenten behind trying to catch up with him.

"HEY NEJI, SLOW DOWN!" Tenten said almost breathless, "I guess I've underestimated him."

The spy turned left, away from the band room, into the school's backyard where all the nerd sat, playing chess. They didn't really notice the stupid chase going on as they were neck deep into the game. Asuma, the teacher in charge, was too busy looking for his child prodigy to even notice them.

* * *

Itachi pulled back his leg and swing it forward, planning to hit Sasuke on his groin. Sasuke didn't see that coming, but never the less, he avoided it by jumping into the air, doing a summersault and landing behind Itachi.

They knew this wasn't just simple, friendly Taekwondo any more.

* * *

The spy ran past the greenhouse.

* * *

Itachi, for the first time, hit Sasuke on the shoulder, missing his target.

* * *

Neji chased the person up the stairs.

* * *

Second time, on the collar bone, it made Sasuke flinch.

* * *

Tenten followed the spy and Neji to the second floor into the classroom.

* * *

"Third times the charm," Itachi thought.

He had his middle and index fingers headed straight for Sasuke.

* * *

Neji saw the spy turn into his classroom and smirked, he had the person cornered.

He went in expecting to see the person, but he saw something else…

* * *

He thought that at the rate Sasuke was moving he would never hit the target properly, but he did…

* * *

Gaara leaned forward, intending to steal a kiss from this pink haired girl. He had never kissed a girl before. And this kiss wasn't to change that, it was because that day, that fateful day in the library, he had unconsciously fell in love with Haruno Sakura.

* * *

There was no one there. Not a single soul. How can that be? He saw the spy run in, Tenten should have saw the person run in. But, but, how is it possible that… that… someone could just disappear like that?

Tenten caught up to him and dumped into his back because she couldn't quite stop herself.

For a moment, for one unbelievable moment, Tenten felt that Neji's heart had bizarrely stopped out of disbelief. She didn't know how, she didn't know why, but she could feel Neji's heart beat stop for a split second, because when she bumped into him, she heart stopped too.

She closed her eyes. She didn't know why. But she assumed it was because of jealousy.

* * *

She had seen Ino being kissed by many boys in middle school before, but none dared kissed the plain, old Jane, Sakura. Now someone, Sabaku No Gaara, wanted to kiss her. She couldn't refuse to temptation.

* * *

Itachi froze with his two fingers on the throat of the wide- eyed Sasuke.

He had hit Sasuke's wind pipe, reducing the air flow in and out of Sasuke's lungs by 95%. Sasuke would still be able to breathe, but not for long. Because the wind pipe was bent in 95%, it would automatically continue bending in until it has finally reached 100%.

Itachi never meant to hit that hard. He only intended to tip the 50% scale by a mere 5%, but instead he had lost control of his strength and hard put in too much force into the hit.

Sasuke may die.

* * *

Their lips were just nanometers apart, so close. They could have kissed if it weren't for the loudhailer scream that filled the air.

It broke the tension and Gaara got up to look around to find the source to the scream.

* * *

They stopped the filming when they heard the scream.

"What was that?" Temari said looking around.

"Probably some troublesome girl screaming cause she saw a spider," Shikamaru said.

* * *

Naruto, who never caught up to Tenten and Neji was sitting down on the floor when he heard the scream.

"Pein must be scolding Tenten right now," he thought.

* * *

Sai had a dash of yellow paint splattered across the canvas because he was shock by the scream.

* * *

Hinata did a silent scream.

* * *

Kiba was too busy watching Yui score the winning score to notice the scream.

* * *

Kankuro was making out with Sasame in the toilet before they heard the shrilling scream.

* * *

Shino kind of expected the scream, because the bugs flew away seconds before it scream took place. Sixth sense.

* * *

Lee was happily doing push- ups to ever hear the scream.

* * *

They rushed Sasuke to the sick bay to receive medical treatment and because Sakura was the nearest medic, she had to attend to him.

"I don't know," she panicked, "Neji's always doing it."

"He needs air," the very guilty Itachi said, "what do you guys need to do to give patient air?"

Sakura thought for awhile, and shuddered at the thought, "mouth- to- mouth resuscitation?" she said quietly.

"DO IT!" Kakuzu urged, "whatever it is."

She, Haruno Sakura, was about the kiss the hottest guy in freshmen year, a guy that turned down Ino, a guy many would die for, a guy that is dying.

She stepped forward, held his breathless (you can interpret both ways) face and leaned forward to ki- well, save him.

Gaara walked out. He didn't want to see the girl he had proclaimed love for locking her lips with some other guy.

Sakura's lips were inches away from Sasuke's lips, and mind you, he was fully awake.

He couldn't take it anymore. He needed the air bad. He pushed himself upwards, finally locking their lips together.

Sakura was shocked but she act fast and held the back of his head for support. She seemed to have totally wiped Gaara off her mind when she kissed Sasuke.

* * *

That night there was a knock on the door and Temari went to get it.

There was no one, just a letter lying in front of the door.

She picked it up to see who it was addressed to:

_Ten Temari _

It was addressed to her. She looked around hoping to find the sender, but there was nothing but a poorly lit street and a row of houses.

She closed the down and went in the read the letter under a better light. Before she could even open it she received a phone call.

"Temari," Tenten shout from the living room, "it's your boyfriend," she said totally oblivious to Ino's feelings.

"Shikamaru's not my boyfriend creep," Temari said, snatching the phone away from her sister.

"Who said it was Shikamaru?" Tenten raised her brows cunningly, "anyways, it's him."

"What?" Temari snapped.

"Did you receive it?"

"Receive what?"

"A letter, addressed to you."

"Yes," Temari said remember the letter she held on one hand, "how'd-"

"Open it," Shikamaru said curtly which wasn't like him, "read to me what it says."

"Ok, ok," Temari whined, "Mr. Very Bosy, I'll read it."

She opened the letter and without reading through it herself, first, she immediately read it out for him.

"_Dear Temari,_

_You must be wondering, 'who are you'. Well, I'll satisfy your curiosity by telling you that I am the person who uploaded the videos on YouTube. Some lifeless freak I am, I know. _

_Well, I'll cut to the chase and tell you and Shikamaru that this plan of your is never going to work. You are never going to figure out my identity and no one will. So stop trying._

_Yours Truly, _

_Ecir _

_P.S, Your boyfriend would have guessed that I would upload that wondrous picture of the two of you hugging 'passionately' on YouTube too right?"_

"Our plan has foiled," Shikamaru said, "we're practically doomed tomorrow."

"We'll show the letter to everyone," Temari suggested, "that way the rumors will stop."

"No, we can't," Shikamaru said, "this person is smart, she used a certain kind of acid, I don't know which, to write the letter so…"

"The words will disappear the next day," Temari ended.

**End of Episode Five**

A/N: YES! THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN EDITED!


	6. Episode Six: Pay Back's A Bitch

A/N: Sorry this took like f- ing long. I have TONS of work to do, piano theory exam is finally over, common test week is through but I'm still not free yet…. sorry I made you wait…

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, YouTube and FanFiction

* * *

"Neji, I'm telling you for the fucking last time," Kakashi tried to restrain his anger, "I don't know any fucking way someone could have escaped from an enclosed classroom, the windows were locked, there are clearly no bookshelves that flip over like in the movies, so what do you expect me tell you? That this so called _Seeker_ is a ghost?"

"I was just asking for you opinion," Neji said irritably, "what's your fucking problem?"

Kakashi nodded thoughtfully, "what's my fucking problem?" he said almost in a whisper, "what's my fucking problem? Well, for your information, I'M FRESHED OUT OF COFFEE!"

There was an awkward silence.

"O- kay…" Neji managed to force out, "so… do you know anyone else who might know… you know, the reason."

"Fuck off," Kakashi muttered lying back down on his table, "Anko drank all my coffee, that damned bitch."

Neji didn't know weather to take that as a hint or just and accidental clue that Anko, the one who have been studying in that classroom for who knows how long , might know the reason.

Is was official; this practical stalker was haunting them. How the hell could she be filming that damn Gaara- almost- kissed- Sakura scene and that Sakura- so- called- kissing Sasuke scene? Neji was chasing her, how could she have done that? She must be a freaking demon child.

But Shikamaru came up with a new theory: The stalker is most likely to be from our class. Who would bother about people from another class, unless they really have no life… she did mention she was a lifeless freak. Well whoever she is, Shikamaru has narrowed it down to Anko, Ino, Tenten, Hinata and Matsuri.

"You can strike off Tenten, Hinata and Ino," Temari said to him after he told her about the theory, "they have nothing to do with this."

"Tenten and Hinata, sure, I understand," Shikamaru paused and gave Temari a skeptical look, "Ino, I'm not quite sure…"

"What still think she's mad about you?" Temari placed her hands on her hips, "for pete sake, she's SO over you."

He didn't want to sound too self- centered, but that's life, "so you trust her when she says that? In a situation like this you can't trust anyone. She appeals to me as the attention seeking one, so by leaking out that she has a huge crush on me may be to boost popularity… negative one."

Temari nodded considering the facts, "ok… so I shouldn't trust you is that what you're saying. Cause Stardust wasn't all that."

He looked at her for one silent moment.

"Ok," Temari admitted, "maybe it was good."

"Just good?" He grinned, he knew she was all that good in lying.

She tried to suppress the guilt boiling in her. The movie was great,, fantastic, wonderful… she loved it, so much, it's too much to handle. It was so awesome she watched it three times in a row. Consecutively.

"Ok," she finally, truthfully admitted, "you have brilliant taste in movies."

He gave her that face which never fails to irritate the wits out of her. It made her feel inferior, when obviously, she wasn't.

Sakura trudged towards them, looking damn pissed off by you- know- what, "I can't believe you two are still so damn calm when that bloody faggot is out there watching us and spreading fucking rumors."

She has been like that the whole morning, grumpy and annoyed. The whole drive to school was torturous, even for Hinata, Sakura kept ranting and ranting about the video. Ino just kept quiet, this time the video didn't feature her, so it didn't bother her too much.

They walked to class as Shikamaru explained his theory to Sakura.

Quite a number of people were already in class, minding their own business. Neji was sitting next to the really hyped up Anko (who is probably filled to the brim with Kakashi's coffee) talking to her.

Ino was talking to Hinata about how she wasn't getting as much attention as before.

Sai was staring out of the window.

Shino was looking around suspiciously trying to find the Seeker- as Neji calls it. He knew who she was, he was just trying to figure out how she'd managed to get everything captured on tape and needed to find a way to expose her, catch her red handed, when she's in the act. Afterall, stalking is a crime here.

Gaara was glaring at Sasuke for the right reasons, while Sasuke quietly read his book.

Lee and Naruto were just… goofing off… without Kiba.

"It's some damn bitch in our class that is doing," Sakura said, "and I think I know who."

Ino and Hinata stopped their talking and leaned in closer to Sakura who was seated in her seat, "who?" They asked.

"Who else?" Sakura said beckoning towards Anko, "I mean she's the on that doesn't care about her portfolio, she's the one that always breaks the rules, she's the one that has been here the longest. Who else better to suspect but her?"

Hinata nodded, "you might be right, I mean, the culprit must be someone who knows the school's layout very, very well. And she's the only one in this class that does."

"Plus the fact the she ain't getting enough attention," Ino added.

"Maybe that."

* * *

"Chouji's not coming today," Shiikamaru said, "food poisoning."

"Really?" Temari said, "but today was the day we'd be discussing the project, how am I supposed to do it now? Why must he be such a reckless eater?"

"He'll die eating," Shikamaru commented, "yeah, but he'll be at home all day," he lowered his voice, "stuffing his face with chips galore!"

Temari muffled a laugh, "right, I don't know where the hell he lives."

Shikamaru 'thought' for a while, "I can give you a lift, you know to Chouji's house."

She eyed him suspiciously.

"You're so troublesome," Shikamaru acted cool, "I just want to be a good partner and pass him his homework and, you know, be a troublesomely good friend and visit him, though all this is a drag."

She looked at him for a while then turned away, "whatever," she turned towards Tenten and realized she wasn't there, "where's Tenten?"

* * *

"That god damn bottle better be here," Tenten muttered under her breath as she pushed open the equipment room door.

A musty smell engulfed her, initially, she coughed and coughed continuously when it entered her nose, but now, she's getting used to this. The room was lit only by natural light, which made it really dim. There were racks and racks of different equipment for different purposes. There was a rack for baseball, another for tennis, badminton, then very close to the back of the storeroom, was the soccer rack. That was where she remembered she left her bottle.

When she saw it, she heaved a sigh in relief; thank god it was there, the bottle was freaking expensive.

Just as she was about to head out of the almost dark storeroom, she heard shuffling of the feet and lots of shifting. She turned to the direction at which the sound was coming room: deeper into the storeroom. She went closer and closer, careful not to make any noise. Having a movie jock sister has influenced her to be very imaginative at these situations. In these type of horror movies, the main character always hears strange noises and goes closer to the source of the sound. Then she would peek at whatever it is making the sound, usually, from behind a shelf- but in this case, a rack. Afterwards, she would receive the shock of her life and be so flabbergasted to even move and remain rooted to the ground, this is were it spells her DOOM. But Tenten knew better to believe in monsters and demons and whatever absurd nonsense on screen. And even if it were truly some weird creature (but what are the chances?) she wouldn't be so stupid to remain root to the damn ground.

She peeked through the gaps between several basketballs on the basketball rack, there were moving figures. Two, in fact. She squinted her eyes to see who it was, it was so dark it was almost impossible.

"God…" one of the figures moaned, obviously it was a girl, but who?

"A while more," the other, a boy, groaned and pushed the girl to the ground, "it won't hurt to be a little late for class."

"No," the girl said, "but, Ita-"

"Shhh," the guy stopped her, "don't say his name right now."

Apparently, Tenten had caught these two people at a very wrong time. All these should be censored and not for the weak hearted.

A chill went down her spine and her groin area was suddenly all tingly.

"What the fuck," she thought, "oh my fuck, am I getting like fucking aroused by this?"

Oh right, she was a fucking virgin.

"Stop," she heard the girl murmur, "stop it."

The boy wasn't ready to stop, he continued kissing her chest area, spreading his scent on her.

"DAMN KIBA," she pushed him up, "I FUCKING SAID STOP IT."

Kiba?

"What time is it?" Kiba said.

"Time for class," the identified girl said, "tuck in your shirt, comb your hair."

Kiba did as told, "can we do this again? Like tomorrow?"

There was silence as Tenten listened intently.

"I don't know," she finally said, "there is like this spy going around school recording people down and posting it online… what if _he_ sees it?"

"It's so dark he wouldn't know it's you," Kiba assured her.

"There's those night- vision camcorders," the girl stated, "they'll know."

Kiba thought for a while, "ok, then we'll do it at my house, today, after school."

"Ok… but I'm telling you, I'm not a virgin," she said, "_he_ totally screwed me in freshmen year."

* * *

During math, Kurenai reminded the class that the project was due on 22 January, which, unfortunately was this Friday, three days away…

Anko hadn't really done anything yet, maybe she could meet up with her partner, Shikamaru today to sort of 'discuss' the project. That fucker Kakashi better better take her of that pending list for the Ingenuity Class soon, the date to confirm the two students chosen was nearing.

"What sick joke is this," Anko laughed at herself, "the Ingenuity Class? Since when was there such a thing?"

Her mind started to drift off, slowly considering each and every stident short- listed for that heinous class: Sasuke, Sakura, Shikamaru and Neji.

"Sasuke," she thought, "maybe, he is sort smart… for a non- genius, he's odd may just be equal to that Sakura girl. But Neji is a sure no way. His grades are Sasuke's and Sakura's minus a gazillion, he just looks smart, that's all."

Then she considered the other genius in the class.

"Shikamaru," she pondered at that name, "he's a target for an assassination, Kakashi's mission is to protect him not to send him off to another class… why the hell did he put Shikamaru's name down? Because he didn't want to rise suspicion? But who was going to see the list of candidates? Nobody (but her) would know if he did or did not put him as a candidate…"

And for the first time, after a really long time, Anko was starting to think about something, she was starting doubt Kakashi's identity, she was starting to think all this believable spy stuff was just a hoax, a mask to hid his true intentions. He might just be hiding something from her.

She could feel something boiling, deep inside of her, burning her guts and charring it. She could feel her stomach tying itself into a knot and tightening itself, trying to kill her, it felt like the ashes left after burning was contaminating her blood, sending pain running in all different directions.

Ultimately killing her.

She had never had such strong emotions before, never. Ever since the day _they_ left her out in the cold, there was nothing more enraging, depressing than the thought of it. Now, mysteriously, out of the damn blue came along this fucking hypothesis that made her feel more angry than angry, more sad than sad.

She hated him from hiding the truth.

She despised herself for sticking around him so often.

She loathed knowing more about his life than anyone else- she resented how special it made her feel.

What the fuck was she thinking?

What the hell had she done?

"Anko?"

She looked up, Kurenai had called her name.

"Solve this sum," she indicated to the neatly written math question on the board.

_The roots of the equation 3Xsquare- 8X+ 2= 0 are alpha and beta. Find the values of alpha square + beta square._

Usually, the answer would click in her mind. She would immediately say it out and make the teachers think that she was hiding a calculator under the desk. But this time, it wasn't so easy. She had a hard time even remembering which chapter was this from, when it was adapted from the same textbook she had used for the past 2 years.

There were only five words that were currently looming in her mind:

Kakashi. Totally. Screwed. Her. Life.

She tried looking at Matsuri, asking her for the answer. But that sardonic bitch did nothing but looked away.

Then she caught Hinata frantically waving at her, screaming for her attention. She looked at her trying to comprehend what Hinata was trying to say.

Thank god she haven't totally lost her ability to lip read, she mouthed a thank you (very not her) and proceeded to telling Kurenai the answer.

"52/9" she said confidently.

Kurenai nodded and went back to teaching 'Sum and Product of Roots'.

"What was that all about?" she told herself, "what the fucking hell? Why the fucking hell did you, Mitarashi Anko, space out?"

Then it dawned on her. A truth that she had denied for so long.

That malevolent truth!

She assumed,

She believed,

She conceptualized,

She ascribed,

That maybe,

Could be,

Might be,

Should be,

She had fallen for that diabolical spy.

* * *

"So, it's either a masquerade or a disco- ish thing," Ino said, "what do you think?"

"Are you trying to rub it in?" Sakura said glumly, "it's already bad enough that the two guys are in our class."

"What?" Ino thought for a moment, until she came to realize what Sakura was talking about, "that, right, that. No, why would you think like that?"

"I don't know," Sakura admitted, "I guess because the dance generally is about a girl being asked out by this guy and so happens there aren't many choices for me… who would go out with someone who," she paused, "_Gaara_ is rumored to like and has," she paused, "kissed the school's heart throb?"

"True, everyone is spooked out by Gaara," Ino nodded, "true, all guys would feel inferior to Sasuke and will most likely get rejected if they ask you out. But false, I would ever think of such an elaborate plan to 'rub it in'."

Hinata came up so suddenly almost scaring the wits out of them, "the stalker is at it again!"

The look at each other worriedly and rushed over to Temari's table where Tenten, Shikamaru and Temari, herself were staring at what seemed to be a black dome.

When they got closer, they still had no idea about what the black dome was. It was semi- circular and had two wires, one black, one red protruding out of the base.

"Optical fibers," Shikamaru muttered as he examined the gizmo, "it is filled with it."

"Optical fibers?" Ino asked quietly.

She had been a little cautious about talking to Shikamaru now that he knew she liked him, or used to.

"Optical fibers allow high quality transmission of information over very long distances with very negligible signal loss," Temari explained, "I use them for filming sometimes."

"Hold up," Sakura interrupted, "where did you even get that?"

Tenten took her bottle from her table, "it was stuck to the bottle, I only realize that it was there like seconds ago."

"This can carry telephone calls, computer data or television pictures," Temari stated as a matter of factly, "we can't possibly figure out it's use."

"Wrong," Shikamaru disagreed, "as troublesome as it is, we can."

He gave them time to process the information being bombarded at them before speaking and explaining his theory about this optical fiber's usage.

"Here's the thing," Shikamaru started, "the video circulating in YouTube were all captured on tape and edit and posted right? Well, whenever we can never find out the culprit for she is always at more than one place at the same time. I suppose that this culprit might just be using cameras like this one and planting them all over the school, the wires you see attached to the fibers, they should be connected to this emitter which uses radiation to transmit information to the receiver. And this case, the culprit's computer."

"That means that the stalker may be recording something in the equipment room," Sakura suggested.

"Which we can view," Temari said as she took out have iMac and switched it on, "and you know what is the best part? We can trace the location which this chip is programmed to send it's data to."

They were finally going to find out who was behind all this. They were finally going to put an end to all this misery and go back to their original lives. They were going to catch this stalker and arrest this bitch who played around with their personal lives and terrorized their privacy.

I know, pay back's a bitch.

"He's coming," Lee shouted, "Kakashi sen- sei is coming with out literature test results!"

No, just when they were about to see the light at the end of the tunnel, a huge boulder has to block it again. Why now? Why of all times must he be late earlier than usual (oh, the irony)?

"No," Temari stayed firm, "I'm not going to let some damn teacher prevent me from finding out this faggot!"

She grabbed her computer and ran towards the door, along the way she told Sakura/ Hinata (whoever that heard) to cover up for her.

"Say I'm dying or something," she shouted, almost at the door.

Suddenly she stopped.

"My synchronizing cable," Temari muttered, "my synchronizing cable," she screamed across to them, "it's in my bag, I need it."

"What the hell is a sync… sync… sync- what?" Tenten asked, "is it like a thumbdrive?"

"It's a cable," Shikamaru said, he opened Temari's bag which laid on the floor, "this," he held out a white cable, "is it."

"Pass it to me fool!" Temari hollered at him, "bring a pen knife too!"

"Troublesome," he took at pen knife lying on her table and ran towards her, "lets go."

She wanted to argue back like: who said you're coming? Or, I can do this on my own! But Kakashi was coming round the corner and they had no time.

Sakura looked around the class observing and strange behavior, like panic or distortion, anything that might say that the person was the stalker.

"I knew it," Sakura said to herself, "I knew it all along, Mitarashi Anko, you're so dead."

There Anko sat on her table, looking all fluster and worried. She seemed as if she was about to die, like something bad was coming her way. Every now and then she was combing her fingers through her hair and glancing at the door all too impatiently.

"Exactly how the stalker would act when she knows she's going to be caught," Sakura grinned, delighted at herself.

Little did she know that Anko was nervous for a whole other reason.

* * *

Now that she was partially aware of how she felt for Kakashi, she really didn't know how to act in front of him anymore.

She didn't want to blush.

She didn't want to stammer.

She didn't want to start acting all girly and sweet and cute and all things gross which Ino adorn herself with.

She wanted to be herself.

And Kakashi was making it virtually impossible.

* * *

They were in the girl's toilet.

Yes, the girl's toilet.

And yes, Shikamaru was in there too.

Well, Temari sort of out smarted the genius and persuaded the genius to enter the girl's toilet. This was rather awkward for a guy. But she needed to use the power socket which was only available in the girl's toilet (you, know all these hair dryers and electric curlers). Plus, if Kakashi wanted to find them, he couldn't possibly enter the girl's toilet.

He locked the toilet door so that the girls intending to enter might think the toilet was being cleaned.

"I hate you forever," Shikamaru grumbled, "I am begrudged to do this."

"Let down your hair and no one would suspect you are a boy," Temari said while settling herself comfortably on the floor and snipping off one end of the synchronizing cable, "believe me, you have unusually feminine features."

"Screw you," Shikamaru muttered, "cut your hair shorter and all the girls would come drooling all over you."

"Oh suck it up," Temari said.

She was pulling off the rubber casing of the cable and tying the two bunch of bare wires to the other two bunch of wires connected to the optical fibers. Afterwards, she plugged the other end of the cable into her computer and prayed to god that this might work.

Just then…

"BANG! BANG! BANG!" Someone was trying to knock open the door.

Shikamaru and Temari both jerked their head towards the door, they looked at each other worriedly.

"Someone wants to come in!"

* * *

"Stop it Aki," Fumiko held her arm, "you'll bruise yourself, and when you do that, I'm not going to help you anymore."

Aki stopped and reached back to her quiver and took out an arrow and a held her bow.

"No," Fumiko said, "no Aki, you're not doing that, the last time you did that you had to do time."

"Right, do time," Aki muttered, "for two fucking days."

"Whatever," Fumiko stepped back, "I'm not in any fucking way involved in this."

She pulled back the bow and released the arrow, sending it heading straight for the knob of the toilet door.

When the saw the arrow pierce in through the door, the first most rational thing that came to mind was to hide in one of the cubicles.

"You know this always happens in the movie," Temari muttered, "except, the girl always gets stuck with a hot guy."

"Oh suck it up," he mimicked, "you're one troublesome bitch."

He locked the cubicle door behind them.

* * *

"…and the teacher came in and took Temari away too," Hinata explained, "that's why the two of them, Temari and Shikamaru, who sit right at the back of the class, you can say next to each other, but their one aisle apart, but we'll still count that as next to each other, but of course one aisle apart, are not in class. If I were you, I would think this is a completely believable explanation to the reason why Shikamaru and Temari, who sit right at the back of the class, you can say next to each other, but their one aisle apart, but we'll still count that as next to each other, but of course one aisle apart, are not in class…"

Kakashi nodded, "so to sum up, Shikamaru and Temari flucked class and got you, of all people who are much better liars, to come up with an excuse to effectively delay time. Am I right?"

Hinata nodded real slowly.

"And you're probably not going to tell me where they are right?" Kakashi asked.

"I would," Hinata said, "if I knew where they were."

"Ok, ok," Kakashi said, "Anko!"

She looked up from the table all flushed and red, "yes?"

"Please use your extensive knowledge, understanding of your classmate's character and you're information of the human mind to tell me the location which the two kids might be at."

She wanted her ability to think to come back. Currently, her mind is like a screensaver with a purely black background and white words zooming around the screen and all possible directions saying: OMFG, I MIGHT HAVE FEELINGS FOR HIM!

_And what was up with the formalities? _

_Was he trying to hid something?_

_Something like their relationship?_

_Their relationship… WAS THERE EVEN ONE? _

_Does he know that I likes him? _

_What if he does?_

_What am I going to do? _

_Am I going to die of embarrassment? _

_Am I going to be like… Ino?_

_FUCK, WAIT. _

_Didn't Kakashi…_

Her blood rushed through her veins upon the thought of his name. She shivered.

… _ask me something?_

She panicked.

_What did he ask? _

_OMFG! WHAT THE HELL DID HE ASK? _

She tried to trace back the time and figure out what exactly did Kakashi ask her.

Step by step, she lead herself through her thoughts and out of it. She proceeded to recalling how Kakashi looked like when he was asking the question. His silvery, white hair, that was swayed to one side, looked so fresh, so new, like leaves covered in morning dew. His eyes were serious, tough, angry yet soft, gentle and calm. She could imagine his mouth, moving swiftly under his mask. His beautiful mouth that's defined and full.

She imagine her lips on his, playing around at different angles, moving oh so quickly, kissing each other,

_snogging each other, _

_smooching each other,_

_osculate each other,_

_caressing each other, _

_embracing each other, _

_fucking each other- I've finally lost it. _

_I'm so nervous I need to pee, BADLY. Kakashi's presence is so endearing yet, it scares the shit out of me that I like him. I mean what the fuck is that? _

_I need to go to the…_

"Anko, where are they?" Kakashi asked again after waiting for quite some time.

"THE GIRL'S TOILET," She half- shouted, her rectum was about to explode.

* * *

"What a good way to pass time while flunking class," Aki said, picking up half a cable, "play your computer game."

They realized that they had left the cable they cut away next to the basin. Temari glared at Shikamaru. He stayed calm like it wasn't his fault.

"Here," Fumiko slid half the cable under the only locked cubicle, "you might need this."

Temari took the cable and bit her lips, "this is so embarrassing."

"You should really go now," Fumiko suggested, "the longest your friend can help you stall is like 10 minutes? 5? Before they leak out your hide- out."

"Hinata doesn't know where we are," Shikamaru whispered.

"But she's a horrible liar," Temari said.

"What about Sakura?"

"I don't think she heard it."

"Then why did you tell Hinata to cover up for us? You know she is a horrible liar?"

Temari wanted to argue back, but Aki cut her off.

"Hey," she knocked on to the door, "fucking come out or you'll be dead, the two of you!"

They obeyed and emerged from the toilet door.

_That was so damn childish_, Temari panicked.

"Well this was unexpected," Aki laughed, "so the video _was_ true."

Fumiko said, "were you guys playing some computer games, or…" she grinned at Aki, "… _having fun_?"

Temari restrained her blush, "a little of both."

The two seniors bore a wide grin, "so you guys have a fetish for computers?"

"No," Shikamaru disagreed, "only she has."

"So," Aki bent down closer to Shikamaru, "what do you have a fetish for?"

Shikamaru took a step back, "are you flirting with me?"

"On the contrary," Aki smiled, "I don't want to make your fuck buddy jealous."

"Oh… I'm soooo jealous," Temari rolled her eyes, every word that splurged out was filled with utter sarcasm _and_ anger.

"Anyway," Fumiko said pushing aside her horny friend, "it wouldn't take long before your teacher comes round the corner looking for you. Believe me, this is from years of experience."

Shikamaru couldn't trust these two people they just met, "what's in it for you?"

"Simple," now it was Aki's turn to push her friend aside, "you keep our little secret about the mysterious arrow destroying the door knob, and we'll keep your erotic little secret."

Kakashi headed for the girl's toilet. It never occurred to him that once he got there, he wouldn't be allowed into it.

Throughout the whole journey there, he was contemplating the outcome of this.

_If they get injured, died or anything that make them unhealthy, I'm fired from my fake job._

_If I'm fired from my fake job, I would get fired from my real job. _

_If I get fired from my real job… let say it wouldn't be too good. _

_One thing leds to another, and either way it leads to me digging my grave and Anko dancing around it. _

_Ha, 'Anko dancing around it' why did I suddenly think about her? _

He stopped two seniors walking out of the toilet.

"Excuse me," he stopped them, "are there two kids in the toilet? They're not suppose to be there, especially Shikamaru…"

_So his name is Shikamaru, eh? _Aki thought, "Yes."

Kakashi secretly screamed inside his head.

"… if you're talking about this fat girl with black hair and this midget guy with blond hair, then yes, there were inside, only they left minutes ago."

Kakashi secretly screamed inside his head. – For a whole other reason.

"What the hell's wrong with the door knob?" he noticed it while grieving over his to- be fate, "looks as if someone pierced an arrow through it…"

"OH MY LORD," Fumiko took the two of them by surprise, "WHO WOULD DO SUCH A THING TO THE POOR KNOB?"

"Calm down Fumiko," Aki caught on with the act, "it's just a knob, but whoever did it must be some bad- as-, I mean devious person," she looked at Kakashi in a melodramatic face, "why must the door knob receive such a fate? Why?"

The way the two of them were acting totally freaked Kakashi out, "ok- ay, well, see you guys around…" he ran before they turned into totally lunatic mode and rape him.

Once he was out of sight (kinda out of mind), Fumiko and Aki high- fived.

"Fucking pays off to be Sasori's girlfriend," Fumiko said.

"Whatever, drama queen."

* * *

They went back to class, after all, Kakashi wasn't there.

Everyone was talking madly, like it was a market, but it wasn't. Sakura was giving out the Literature test papers, when she saw the two of them return to class.

"Ok," she said, "where is her secret base located?"

Shikamaru and Temari glanced at the blinking dot on the iMac he was holding.

"Underneath this class."

* * *

Kakashi didn't find them, when he got back to class, everyone had voluntarily released themselves from class.

Yes, this is one of those days where Kakashi was totally uncool because the day was simply screwed up.

Even Anko, his personal stalker has left class.

But when he got back to the staffroom, he found, sitting cross- legged on his rolling chair, Anko.

_And guess what? She was drinking my coffee. _

* * *

"No way," Ino said, "there was an underneath _underneath_ our class that is not the first floor?"

"Temari nodded, processing what Ino had just said, "yes. But I don't think the readings are accurate."

"How can there possibly be a base under our classroom?" Shikamaru said, "it would be so troublesome to get in."

"Right," Tenten agreed.

"Wrong," Neji said, "there _is_ a base under our classroom, Anko told me about it."

"Anko?" Sasuke laughed skeptically, "you trust her?"

"She's the culprit," Sakura said, "Mitarashi Anko, she is guilty in so many ways."

"How can you be so sure?" Tenten asked, "what proof do you have?"

"My cards," Neji pulled out The Seeker, "The Seeker is a card that means craftiness, because the seeker has to be decisive not to expose themselves but at the same time expose others."

"That means the person we're dealing with is cunning and sly," Sai added, "and at would be extremely hard to find this person."

"Ok, let's do it," Sasuke got up from his seat.

"Easier said than done," Shino gulped.

There was a whole hoard of fangirls rushing straight for them.

"And to think they would loose their interest in us," Sai sighed.

"This is so interesting!" Ino squealed, "this is like one of those action movies Temari watches."

From a distance, Naruto was walking towards them.

"Oh my lord," Hinata gasped, "Naruto- kun is coming!"

"Naruto- kun?" Shikamaru repeated, "Naruto- _kun_? I don't see you going around calling Sakura- _chan_, or Temari- _chan. _So why are calling Naruto, _Naruto- kun_?"

"I was being polite," Hinata stammered.

"Polite?" Tenten laughed, "why don't you call Shikamaru, Shikamaru- kun then?"

"I…I…" she didn't want to tell her friends that she might be having difficulties with Naruto harassing her.

Like right now, he was probably going to ask her something really really dumb, like he always does in class.

"Hey," Naruto said, "I was just walking by when I saw Hinata…"

_There he goes, harassing me._

"…Shikamaru, Temari, Tenten, Ino and you."

"Me?" Sakura said, "you're talking to me?"

"Yup," Naruto grinned, "better believe it."

_Wait- he came here for Sakura? _

"Ok… you got my attention," Sakura said, thoroughly freaked out, "what do you want."

"Well," Naruto said rocking back and forth on his feet, "you must feel like there would be no other guy who wants to take you to the home- coming dance but-"

"Wait," Ino stopped him, "how did you know about the home- coming dance?"

Naruto thought for a while, "a certain little birdie told me," he left as if they didn't believe it, "you better believe it!"

Now _all_ of them were freaked out.

"So anyways, you must feel like no guy wants to take you cause you kissed Sasuke and all," Naruto said, "but, but you're wrong."

"Oh really," Sakura said with sarcasm and disinterest, "indulge me."

"I would be glad to take you to the home- coming dance," Naruto grinned.

"What if I say that I'm not going?" Sakura asked.

"But your friends are going!" Naruto insisted.

"We are?" Tenten remarked, "whoa someone must have mysteriously asked us out without us even knowing!"

"Magical!" Temari said mockingly.

"Well, Tenten would be going with… with," he wreaked his head for a name, "er… er… Neji?"

Tenten scoffed, _big lie._

"And, and Ino, well she's going with… with…" he wanted to say Sasuke but he didn't want to upset her, so the next brother in line was Sai, "… Sai?" That came out wrong, "and… and Hinata… well, lets see…"

_You better better not say Shino, I know your pattern mister! First Neji, next Sai, then it would be Shino! _Hinata thought.

"Shino?" Naruto said weakly, "and everyone knows who Temari's going out with, it's an international news."

"Have you met my fist before?" Shikamaru stood up, "cause Fist really wants to meet you!"

"Ok," Naruto took a step back, "I was hoping you guys were going out!"

"What?" Shikamaru asked half angry, half curious, "are you getting this from that fucked up video? Cause if you are, then you better believe that Sakura is going out with Sasuke and any moment now he is going trudge in and befriend you with _Clenched_ Fist!"

"NO I WASN'T GETTING THIS FROM THE VIDEO," Naruto argued, "IT'S ALL OVER FAN- FICTION! THE STORY OF PEOPLE FROM OUR CLASS!"

Shikamaru sat down, disbelieved.

"The video was such a hit on YouTube that people started writing fan- fictions about it," Naruto said, "in other words, you guys are internet celebrities!"

There was a long silence.

"And there's this writer, who writes the most amazing fan- fiction about the whole drama," Naruto said to break the silence, "she made me believe that the two of you are really going out and that the drama is actually a real life event!"

"I'm at fan- fiction," Temari said monotonously, "what's her name or what's the title of that damn fiction?"

"The title is _The High School Chronicles_ and the writer…" Naruto thought for a while, "is called _Code- Breaker_."

* * *

"So it's under this metal cupboard is it?" Sakura said infuriated, "IS IT?"

"Er… yes," Temari said, "relax Sakura, you don't see me as pissed as you are."

"I think we should take out the books in the cupboard to reduce the weight," Shikamaru suggested.

They were in the classroom, the be precise, the back of the classroom, just behind where Tenten and Temari sat. They, or Sakura, were trying to move the metal cupboard aside, because underneath it is the supposed- to- be location of the stalker's secret hide out.

"Wait," Hinata stopped him, "she can do it."

He looked at Temari with the 'no- way' expression.

Temari nodded saying that Hinata was right, "when Sakura's angry, the whole world shakes, what for yourself."

Sakura held the side of the metal cupboard and pulled it, tugged it. A few seconds of heavy breaths and sweats, she managed to move the first inch. It wasn't long before she completely shifted the cupboard aside, revealing what seemed to be, a trap door.

"So there _was_ a secret hide- out underneath the classroom," Naruto said, "magical!" He mimicked Temari.

She rolled her eyes. Tenten came forth and lifted the hatch, opening the trap door. They all looked into it, but saw nothing but a narrow stairway disappearing into the darkness.

"We'll use the light glaring from Temari's computer screen to lead us down," Shikamaru said, stepping down into the underground hide- out, "you guys follow behind."

He ventured deeper into the darkness. Temari and Tenten intended to let their friends enter first, but seeing neither Sakura, Hinata nor Ino had the guts to do so, Tenten went in followed by Temari then Sakura, Ino, Hinata and the most afraid of them all, Naruto.

They went in, deeper and deeper, it seem almost as if the stairway wasn't going to end. The air pressure was decreasing and the air smelt moist and musty. If Naruto turned around, he would realize that the light, leading out of the tunnel, was merely the size of a full- stop. The only light there is now, was the one blaring from Temari's laptop.

"AHHHH!" Naruto screamed.

Everyone turned back.

"SOMETHING TOUCHED ME!" He hollered repeatedly.

"It's just a bug," Tenten said "or your own wild imagination."

"Maybe it's a vampire," Temari smirked, intending to scare the poor kid, "or a zombie, or a ghosts, or…"

"I'M GOING OUT," Naruto turned around running straight for the exit, "I'M GOING OUT!"

Nobody really cared about him, they just continued think that he could make it out by himself.

But he couldn't.

"NO!" They heard him yell, "NO, SOMEONE LOCKED US IN!"

* * *

She pushed the metal cupboard to completely conceal the trapdoor beneath it, "there, all well hidden, told you not to find me."

She turned around receiving the shock of her life, "OH MY GOD, GAARA? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE? YOU SHOCKED ME!"

"What's wrong?" He asked calmly, "did you do something wrong?"

"No," she said, "I just came back to class to clear up some mess."

* * *

"At this rate," Sasuke screamed through the pack of fangirls, "I don't think we'll be able to reach the classroom any sooner."

Neji pushed pass another fangirl, "let's just hope nothing's wrong, ouch!"

He almost tripped over Sai who was seated calmly on the ground, dazed. Neji bent down to see it he was traumatized in anyway.

"Sai?" Neji called him.

Sai flashed out his hand for Neji to see, "a vision, I don't know what it means, it was so dark I couldn't see."

Neji looked at Sai's hand. It was colored black all around, as if Sai had just spilled black ink over it accidentally. But this was on purpose.

* * *

They were in this meeting room, except there wasn't any meeting, there were interviews being carried out and Kakashi had to do it.

"The Kurenai faggot dumped all this on me!" He thought.

"She got all that memorized," Anko said, "her 'perfect answers' weren't so perfect after all."

"I thought she was rather good," Kakashi said, "she was able to memorize all those."

They were filling in the vacancies for the ingenuity class. And so far, Anko wasn't thoroughly satisfied with any candidates.

Although she wanted to reduce the chances of getting into the ingenuity class by recruiting as many people as possible, she still had to consider that Kakashi's job was at stake, fake one or real one, it didn't matter. Blow up one, mess up the other.

"Ok then," Kakashi laid back on to his chair, "the last one for the day."

A girl with hair till the waist tied in two ponytails and oversized spectacles came in.

She introduced herself and answered the questions Kakashi and Anko tossed at her without any hesitation or doubt. Her answers were immediate, accurate and sensible. She was far better than any of the candidates they had today, though she looked far worse.

When they were almost done, Kakashi issued the last, most important question that decides her placing in this school and in the ingenuity class.

"Ok," he started, "what do you specialize in? What is your talent?"

This was mandatory as the school requires students only with specific talents and abilities that are relevant to the growing society. Like sports and the arts or all- rounders like geniuses.

But for the ingenuity class, they only wanted intellectual talents.

"Well, I am good at this certain thing…" she trailed off.

"And what is that?" Anko asked.

"I'm a code- breaker."

A/N: EDITED! Ok, finally, I finished it. God, that took a very long time. This is probably the longest chapter so far… 26 pages on Microsoft Word. Anyways, thanks for reading. I'll try to post the next chapter asap, I'm really busy now.

The next chapter: The Seeker

Please Review!


	7. Episode Seven: The Seeker

A/N: I know this took damn long to post. You can't possibly blame me for the lack in time. At this rate, I'm going to fail my exams... So anyways, here goes...

Disclaimer: I do not and will never own Naruto or anything else in here that surely does not belong to me- except the storyline. So don't sue me.

* * *

Title: The Seeker

They gave up trying to call for help, it has been damn long and the narrow stairway was getting stuffy. Ino and Hinata and Naruto remained close to the exit in case anyone opened the trapdoor and released them- which Shikamaru said to be high unlikely.

The rest, consisting of Temari, Sakura, Tenten and Shikamaru, went down the stairway into the gloomy darkness. It was not long before they totally lost sight of the other three.

"This girl must be a damn brave bitch to go down this dark staircase alone," Sakura commented, "this is a never ending nightmare."

"It's not 'never ending'," Tenten disagreed, "I can already see the ground level. Look."

True enough the flat ground emerged from the darkness and the narrow pathway widened to a room the size of their classroom.

"OMFG," Sakura said, "what the hell is this?"

Light filled the room. Apparently, Temari found a switch to switch on a dimly lit light bulb that filled the room with (little) light. Even so, the sudden light outburst made them shun away from the surroundings, covering their eyes with the forearms. It took them several seconds for their poor eyes to adapt to the intensity of the light and finally get a chance to actually look around the room.

"This used to be a bomb shelter," Shikamaru said, examining the metal cupboard similar to the one that hid the trapdoor, "there are food labels on these cupboards and a first- aid tool box here," he pointed to a dusty looking box at one corner of the room.

"We're ten- feet below the ground," Temari explained while reading the information flowing from her laptop, "and signal is zilch."

"So no calls for help?" Tenten cried, "e- mails to write down our will? Cash transactions to pay for our coffins?" She paused to take in the extreme situation their in, "we can't even prepare for our death?"

"All of a sudden," Sakura said, "death doesn't seem so hard. I thought that movie characters were dumb to do stuff which they know to be dangerous, but it never occurred to me that desperation and curiosity was killing their common senses."

Shikamaru shrugged, "ok, now, you're just acting like Temari."

"Whatever," Temari snorted, she opened one of the metal cupboards, "look at this. This bitch really knows her IT."

The cupboard was filled with receivers for the signals the optical fibers were giving off.

"What is this?" Sakura asked, "is this the thing receiving all the recorded footage?"

Temari nodded.

With one swift movement to the arm, Sakura swept all the receivers off the shelves of the cupboard causing them to sprawl all over the ground. Next, she stomped on each one of them, one by one, crushing each piece upon mere contact of the feet. It was like a toddler killing ants by stepping on it. It seemed that easy.

"Here's the real deal," Shikamaru shouted from a far corner of the room, "a computer- on standby mode."

Tenten and Temari came over, leaving Sakura to pour out her anger and frustration on the poor receivers.

"This kid has records of every kid in our class," Shikamaru said, reading the different folders this girl had on her desktop, "Sabaku No Gaara, Mitarashi Anko, Hyuga Neji, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto… and even Hatake Kakashi."

"… 17, 18." Tenten counted, "that's everyone, this person can't be from our class, why would someone keep information about themselves?"

"Did you include Kakashi sen- sei while you were counting?" Temari asked, "cause when I counted there was only one teacher and _17_ students."

Tenten counted again, "god, you're right, she missed Sand Matsuri."

"But she's the new girl," Temari said, "I don't think she would be able to get hold of her records yet. Besides, there was a misunderstanding a few days ago. Rice Sasame was mixed up with Sand Matsuri."

"True," Tenten nodded.

Shikamaru was silent throughout their whole conversation, normally he would counteract their suggestions with even stronger points, but this time he was quiet. Or, too lazy to speak up. Either way.

"What was the name the sender signed off as?" Shikamaru asked Temari, out of the blue, "what was it?"

"Err…" Temari cracked her head to remember the quire name, "I think it's Ecry? Or maybe Ecid? Or Ecir?"

"Spell Ecir backwards," Shikamaru told them.

"R…I…C…E," Tenten spelt, "why."

"Annunciate it," Shikamaru commanded.

"Rice," Tenten said and did the Ohh… face, "Rice Sasame!"

Now it was Temari's turn to keep quiet, "no, I don't get it. Why her? Why would she do it?"

"Good point," Shikamaru said, "why?"

"I think because Anko offended her," Tenten suggested, "but that doesn't fit in to why she's doing this to _us_ and not her."

They thought for a moment, before Temari broke the silence, "Tenten, didn't you say that Neji was just a few seconds short from finding out who she was, that time you guys chased after her?" She didn't wait for Tenten to approve, "if that's the case, how'd she ever push the metal cupboard aside in time to prevent Neji from finding out who she was? She couldn't have done in within seconds, that's… that's humanly impossible."

"Unless you're Sakura, that is," Tenten joked, the two looked at her with a you- better- stop- messing- around- cause- aside- from- you- we- are- very- fond- of- living face, "ok…ok…, yes, he was only inches away from her. I would've been totally impossible."

"DAMN YOU," Sakura shouted from the background while stomping on those receivers, "DAMN YOU FOR RECEIVING ALL THESE DAMN SIGNALS TO HELP YOUR FUCKED UP OWNER CREATE HER DAMN VIDEO TO RUIN MY LI- _AND_ THEIR DAMN LIVES!"

"And let's face it," Shikamaru said after hearing what Sakura has to say (rather scream), "you mentioned that signals cannot be transmitted or received here cause there is no signal, right? So how did all these receivers receive the data?"

They were all thinking, hard, trying to match all the clues that they had so far. Even Shikamaru had a hard time putting all these together; the abandoned bomb shelter, the receivers, the lack in network connection, the stalker's quick disappearance, the stalkers identity… It all didn't make sense. One moment it was going, leading them straight for the answer. But some other clues had to contradict it.

Sakura came over to the threesome. Some how in the midst of the anger breakout, she found something that was hidden among the receivers, something that made her absolutely pissed.

Shikamaru took the piece of crunched up paper from the very annoyed Sakura's hand.

On the letter, in a very familiar penmanship wrote:

_I told you, but you didn't listen. _

_I've said this once and I'll say it once more: so stop trying._

_Yours Indignantly, _

_Ecir_

_P.S: You must be wondering (or have Shikamaru found out?) who the hell closed the trapdoor on you guys, well, it was me. Yup, get damned pissed for all I care, you're never going to find me SO STOP TRYING. _

"It was a hoax," Sakura muttered, "she lead us here. We fell for her trap."

* * *

He glanced at the wall clock in his bedroom, _she should be here by now, what's taking her so long? My grades are at stake here!_

He reached for his bedside table and felt around, at familiar sensation of an aluminum wrap wasn't there anymore, and then he remembered that his mom banned him from chips until he was cured from food poisoning.

Yup, Akimichi Chouji laid on his bed with the afternoon sun glaring at him as he lazed around feeling like Shikamaru, he best friends and waiting for Temari, he project mate.

They both had agreed to come over to his house after school to visit him (Shikamaru) and for the project (Temari). But it was already 2 hours after school ended and it wouldn't take very long to walk to his house, much less as Shikamaru had his chauffer.

He would give Temari a lift, won't he?

Cause they were clearly friends, weren't they?

He was confused, one moment they hated each other, screamed at each other and critisied each other. The next they were going places together (the video store), having private conversations together, rumored to be dating each other… Damn, he promised Shikamaru not to believe in such rumors, Shikamaru said that the only way for rumors to come true is for it to have many believers and followers and the amount of publicity it gets. This, in turn, materializes the rumor.

It would be a lie to say that Chouji didn't want all the rumors to be true.

He only wanted this one to be.

Temari might possibly be the only woman in Shikamaru's life who might possibly like Shikamaru for Shikamaru (aside from Shikamaru's mom, of course) and not because he is a genius. That's how all of Shikamaru's fan girls felt towards him, they only liked the logic in him, not the essence. But Temari wasn't like that, he could tell, anyone could tell. She started off hating him to her utter wits, she didn't give a fucking damn to how high his damn IQ was, she didn't like the way he treated her. Then she was kind enough to allow him to follow her to the video store, the very same day Shikamaru cancelled his appointment to accompany Chouji to some food convention.

And Shikamaru might actually like Temari, not matter how bossy, troublesome or dominating he said she was. Words from the genius, might not be words from the heart.

"CHOUJI," his mom shouted form the kitchen, "ARE YOUR FRIENDS STILL COMING?"

That's right. His friends. How could he have forgotten about them, thinking about them? The sheer irony.

He picked up the cordless phone, that constantly laid conveniently by his side, and dialed Shikamaru's phone number.

"_The number you have called is not available," _the spastic voice in the phone went, _"your number will be sent via SMS to the-" _he hung up even before she (if it even is a she) was done.

He proceed to dial Shikamaru chauffer's number, that was the next possibility after Temari- cause he didn't have hers.

The phone rang for a few seconds before being answered up by a voice Chouji expected to be calm, "hello," the voice was shaky, "is that you Mister Akimichi?"

He wasn't used to these formalities.

"Yes," Chouji said before diving straight into the question, "is Shikamaru there?"

There was a pause before the chauffer managed to cough out some words, "that's exactly what I wanted to ask you. I've been waiting at the usual spot for Young Master Nara to be fetched home, but it's way past meeting time and most of the students have gone home, but no sign of Shika- I mean Young Master Nara."

"_Most of the students_?" Chouji repeated, "who else is left?"

"Well, a bunch of girls mooning over what seems to be…one… two… three…FOUR, four boys," the chauffer said.

_What are the four brothers still doing in school? Might they know about Shikamaru and Temari's whereabouts?_

"By whatever means," Chouji told the chauffer over the phone, "get to one to the four boys and ask them if they know what happened to Shikamaru and Temari. That should keep you busy enough until I come."

He hung up.

* * *

They were suffocating him. Hyugga Neji was unwillingly sandwiched between millions of fangirls.

_And to think you'd get used to this. _

"Excuse me," a grown man in formal wear managed to squeeze past psychotic madwomen to him, "do you know Nara Shikamaru by any chance?"

Nara Shikamaru…that name echoed in his mind. It sounded familiar, then it occurred to him that it was that lazy genius in his class."

He nodded in response.

He swore he saw the man's face light up, "great," he said, "I need to know where he is."

_How am I supposed to know? I'm not some fortune teller, am I? Ok, maybe I am. But I can't tell you these type of predictions!_

"Probably with Temari," he gave an answer to be polite.

Temari, the chauffer remembered that was the other name Chouji mentioned in the conversation. Also, she was the girl Shikamaru offered a lift home.

"Where is she?" The chauffer prompt.

Neji was hoping he didn't ask that question, "I have no idea."

"That's strange," the chauffer thought out loud, "it is unlike Shikamaru to keep me in the _dark_."

"… _a vision, I don't know what it means, it was so dark I couldn't see." _Sai's voice echoed in his head.

"What did you say?" Neji asked the man.

"That it is unlike Shikamaru to keep me in the _dark_," he repeated.

Neji thought for a while, _and he couldn't find Shikamaru…_, "are you sure he isn't at home?"

"Well, I'm his chauffer," the man said, "I'm his only way home."

_Only way home… Shikamaru couldn't be there… but then…_

He recalled Shikamaru and Temari mysteriously running out of the class before literature began, could they be looking for the seeker too?

_Then there was also Temari._

"You mentioned Temari," Neji said, "are you supposed to pick her up to?"

"Well, orders were to bring her and Young Master Nara to Mister Akimichi's house," the chauffer said, "so, yes, I'm supposed to pick her up."

_Maybe Sai's vision…_

"I might know where they are."

* * *

"FUCK!" Naruto screamed, "YOU SCARED ME!"

The four of them who ventured down the stairs came up, back to the top to get 'fresh air'. The air below was going mustier by the second and the decreasing air pressure wasn't making it any better. With each breathe they took, the enclosed room decreased in oxygen percentage and increased in carbon dioxide percentage.

"It's getting harder to breathe," Hinata panted, "there is very little oxygen left."

"Don't talk," Sakura said slowly, "it's only going to make it worse."

It was like they were all under a blanket. It was dark, hot and barely breathable. The space constraint and the tough fight for oxygen were making them giddy. Everyone was trying to keep their breathes short and minimal, count 5 counts before taking the next breath.

_Tenten: Their going to flip if they find out this whole thing was a bloody hoax and their going to die not knowing the culprit behind this whole plan. _

_Temari: I guess my life is a movie. What a dramatic death. _

_Sakura: After total embarrassment, I guess death is the only sensible thing. _

_Shikamaru: This is so troublesome. So what if I'm a genius, how can a save others when I can't even save myself. I'll simply rot here next to her…_

_Hinata: I feel giddy…_

_Ino: I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE! I HAVEN'T LIVED YET!_

_Naruto: I just hope that the ghost and vampires don't eat my corpse up. _

Hinata fainted, she almost fell down the stairs, but Naruto caught her. He bore a panicked- stricken look on his face.

"No," he whisphered, "she's going to use up all the air."

* * *

"Here," Neji pointed, "under this cupboard."

Sasuke pushed Neji aside and did some seals with his hands. A taekwondo thing, probably to inject all his energy (otherwise known as Chakra) into his palms, so he can move the cupboard away more efficiently.

Though he struggled a bit, Sasuke managed to push the cupboard aside far enough the reveal a trapdoor.

* * *

"I can't take it anymore," Ino cried, "I can't die, I just can't. This is too sudden, too quick," tears superfluously ran down her cheeks, "you all look as if death is a natural thing and you're ready for it. But I'm not."

"EXCUSE ME," Sakura shouted at Ino, "DO WE LOOK LIKE WE LIKE DEATH? DO WE? WE'RE PROBABLY JUST AS DESPERATE AS YOU, WE WANT TO LIVE OUR FUCKING LIVES, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO BREATH! BUT HEY, GUESS WHAT? WE'RE STUCK, WE'RE FUCKING- LY STUCK IN THIS FUCKING- LY AIRLESS ROOM WITH ZERO VENTILATION AND NO CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. SO IF YOU WANT TO BE A TOTAL BITCH ABOUT THIS, I SUPPOSE YOU CAN NEGOTIATE WITH THE FUCKING GRIM REAPER LOOMING OVER US, TELL US WHAT HE SAID."

"STOP YOUR FUCKING SARCASM SAKURA," Temari yelled, "you're giving me a headache, a damn good one. You want to argue? Go argue somewhere else, not smack down in front of me."

"So you're trying to say they should keep all their sarcasm and frustration and regret and whatever fuck they have, and only release it when their up there?" Shikamaru said monotonously, "Cause that might be the only place their going without you."

"What the fuck," Temari muttered, "your saying I'm going to survive this whole thing and their going to die? Is that it? Well in case you haven't noticed, I'M NOT A PLANT, I DON'T BREATHE YOUR CO2 SHIT. SO SUCK IT UP AND STOP PICKING ON ME!"

* * *

They stood at the side as they watched Sasuke lift the heavy trapdoor.

* * *

"Fuck," Tenten said, "shut up, listen."

They kept quiet and heard the creaking sounds of the wood and the shuffling of the feet above them.

Someone was there.

"A little help," Sasuke breathed, "my chakra flow is weakening…"

The ones nearest to the door (Sakura, Naruto, Ino and Tenten) gathered the last bit of their strength to push the trapdoor up.

There was a force pushing the trapdoor up from the bottom, _it must be them. _

Sai came over to help Sasuke pull open the trapdoor.

Within several heaves, they got the trapdoor to open 90 degrees up and allowed the wooden door to fall on the floor.

Seven people, two boys, five girls rushed out of the tiny opening, gasping for air. All filthy and sweaty.

The chauffer went over to Shikamaru and aid him with his lack of oxygen. Naruto collapsed on the floor, kissing it, screaming: SALVATION! SALVATION! Two of the physically weak people (Sakura and Ino) who helped in pushing the trapdoor upwards were too restless to even get themselves up, they had to be pulled out by Sasuke and Sai (who were the nearest). Tenten was strong enough to use her last ounce of energy to walk out of the trapdoor and fall flat on the ground taking deep breaths and thanking god. Temari briskly walked out of the trapdoor and went over to her seat, sat down and guess what? She fell asleep. Hinata, well we all know that she is more or less unconscious, so she can't really do much.

All in all, they were all just brimming with jubilance that they were able to escape hell.

But somewhere, somewhere out there, there was someone who was caught by it.

* * *

She was with her boyfriend.

That

foul,

annoying,

bastard boyfriend of hers.

Apprently she couldn't come to his house after school because her boyfriend brought her out on a shopping spree.

_And you know girls can't refuse that. _

Was what she said.

And when he thought it couldn't get worse.

_He's buying me the dress I'm wearing to the dance. _

The dance. Since when was there a dance?

_You mean you didn't know? There'll be a homecoming dance very soon. He said he'd buy me the dress. _

So she was going with him then? To the dance?

_He's my boyfriend, Kiba. You're just the third party I begrudgingly have to keep. _

"Begrudgingly," he scoffed, "you make it seem like you are forced into this."

It took quite some time for her to reply to that message. But she did anyways.

_Well YOU make it seem like I want to have an affair with you. YOU were to one that forced me into this, YOU THREATENED ME! YOU FUCKING STOLE MY FREEDOM AWAY! I HAD NO CHOICE AND REGRETED WHAT I DID, BEFORE AND AFTER. I NEVER FEEL GOOD WHEN YOU'RE AROUND, YOU'RE LIKE A DOMINANT VOLCANO WHO MIGHT JUST SPILL THE SECRET OF OUR LITTLE AFFAIR ANYTIME. I'M SCARED, I'M SCARED OF YOU. _

_So please, stop this. _

He wanted to. He really, really wanted to end her agony. But it was impossible. They were like different poles. You couldn't put the two together. Even if you bring one closer to the other, the other simply slips away. To end her pain, he has to initiate his and to end his pain, he has to give her sorrow. In the end, they would never come to a compromise. It's always either one of them who has to suffer for the other.

But in her case, she was suffering for that foul, annoying bastard called _Uchiha Itachi._

He didn't deserve her.

There was only one thing to do.

He picked up his phone and replied to Yui's message.

_I Can't. _

* * *

They were all fine. Just out of breath. The medic said that they needn't consume any supplements or medicine to stabilize their body condition, all they needed was rest.

Chouji met them on the way to the clinic and while they were there, he might as well get his condition checked. The medic said that his illness was improving, but he shouldn't have come out.

Now, they all (Sasuke, Sai, Shino, Neji, Naruto, Shikamaru, Chouji, Sakura, Hinata, Ino, Tenten, Temari and the Chauffer) sat together in this café, drinking their coffee and eating the lunch they were deprived of.

"So this is a hoax?" Neji said, "as in the secret base was never her secret base but a way to buy more time?"

"Yes," Shikamaru agreed, "that's what we think."

"We need to think of a plan," Sasuke said, "one that is fool- proof, one that will enable us to find this person."

"It's no use," Sakura interrupted, "she's everywhere, her hears whatever we are saying, she sees whatever we are doing, she feels whatever we are feeling. She's like this dog, she follows us where ever, when ever and how ever. She knows our daily scheduled, where we've been, where we will be, she knows all these."

"There must be a weak link, one clue she accidentally gave away, something that would help us find her," Tenten said.

"We do know that she is a _She_," Naruto joked.

They ignored him.

"We know that she's from our class," Hinata said, "that narrows it down to Anko as our culprit."

"No," Sakura said, "there's still Matsuri."

"But she's the new girl," Shino said, "she wouldn't know the school well enough to pull off such a crime."

"This is where I come in," Temari faced her computer screen toward the others, "this girl has the blueprints of the school, she can bring herself anywhere with this."

"Ok," Sasuke said, "what else do we know."

"She's trying to frame Rice Sasame," Shikamaru said, "or she is Sasame."

"What do you mean?" Shino asked.

"She signs of her letters with 'Ecir'" Temari explained, "and Ecir backwards is Rice. A little too coincidental don't you think?"

"Plus," Shikamaru added, "she bothers to write her letters in a mixture with traces of thymolphthalein, water, ethyl alcohol and sodium hydroxide solution. This enables the words on the letter to disappear when reacted with Carbon dioxide produces Carbonic acid and when Carbonic acid reacts with Sodium Hydroxide Solution it produces Sodium Carbonate. The neutralization of the base cause a color change of the indicator and the stain henceforth disappears."

They were silent.

"Yep," Temari nodded, suppressing her laughter, "that was how I felt when Shikamaru first told me about this."

"You don't need to understand all that," Shikamaru said.

They all let out a sigh of relief.

"So now we know that the criminal is a science genius," Naruto said, "that totally fried my mind."

"You don't need to be a science genius to know all that," Shikamaru disagreed, "I think if I explained it to… say, Temari? _She_ would understand."

"I'm going to ignore that," Temari muttered, "my argument is only going to aggravate the situation and that would be just…"

"…troublesome," he rolled his eyes, "so, the question is: would Matsuri or Sasame know all this?"

"Sasame wouldn't," Naruto suggested, "she's totally brainless. That's what Lee and Kiba told me."

"Are you sure they weren't talking about you?" Sasuke muttered, "cause it sure seems like it."

_Munch… Munch… Munch… _

Everyone glared at Chouji.

"What?" He protested.

"You have food poisoning," Ino said skeptically, "what are you doing?"

"Oh come one," Chouji groaned, "this is a pack of innocent chips, where ever they go, I go. It attracts me. I can't be away from it. I would go through great pains to get this bag of chips even if it means my health."

Everyone was simply aghast.

"Wait," Sai spoke for the first time, "attraction. That was what keeps you going. It is like a hobby."

Chouji nodded, finally having someone to understand him.

"So where ever you it goes, you follow, right?" He paused to process his thought, "so if your mom were to come sneak up in you, you would be caught, right?"

"I guess," Chouji said thoughtfully, "I'm totally off guard when I'm enjoying."

Sai grinned, "that's it. I just thought of a brilliant song I would like you guys to hear."

"What?" Naruto almost screamed, "I thought you came out with a plan!"

"My plan is to sit back, relax and hear this song," Sai said calmly, "this would improve our literature skills. After all, this is the only way we can find evidence," he paused at glance at everyone, "to prove our point."

"Ok then," Shikamaru said, "write the title out for me."

"Me too," Temari said, "I finding a nice song for my video."

Sai wrote it on the napkin and handed it to them.

_Caught in the act- Chaka Khan_

"I'll look for more songs," Sai said, "cause I feel they're a beautiful mode of communication."

That night, Sasuke, Neji, Shino, Shikamaru, Sakura, Ino, Hinata, Tenten and Temari listened to the song Sai recommended. They googled the lyrics and decode it like how they would with the literature poems Kakashi gave them for practice. They annotated the different lines and interpreted the hidden meanings. Though they tried to look at it through the perspective of the situation, they were not able to uncover the meaning behind every line.

_Suspicions rising, answers aren't clear  
_Refers to how no one can be trusted at this game and how vague the clues are.

_I thought we made a promise, now you've disappeared  
You seem to lead two lives at a time_

Inferring to the stalker, how she is a student and a well, stalker at the same time. _  
Do I still fit in, I thought you were mine  
_

_Sitting at the bar in our favorite cafe  
I turn and see ya laughin' with her and your smile fades away_

Something the stalker saw that made the person upset._  
Didn't surprise me, there's nothin' left to say _

Something that the stalker already long knew about. _  
I caught you red-handed now and you can't walk away_

Once they catch this stalker, she can't escape.

You were caught in the act  
When you thought I wasn't lookin' at ya  
C.I.T.A., I can see what you're doin'  
Caught in the act, and I can't stand to hear your lies  
Caught in the act, don't you try and change my mind

The chorus is pretty self- explanatory. _**You called me the only, you said, "she's only a friend"  
Don't pretend you're sorry, my heart will mend  
Don't you come back to me, don't you try to call  
You couldn't hold my heart with love, now you can't hold me at all**_

You were caught in the act  
When you thought I wasn't lookin' at ya  
C.I.T.A., I can see what you're doin'  
Caught in the act, and I can't stand to hear your lies  
Caught in the act, don't you try and change my mind

Caught in the act, caught in the act  
Caught in the act, C.I.T.A.  
Caught in the act, caught in the act  
Caught in the act, C.I.T.A.

The last two chunks of words were, yet again, very self- explanatory. 

She laid back in her chair to think about the chunk she highlighted in bold. Out of all the paragraphs, that was the hardest to understand. What has the stalker got to do with being jealous and heartbroken? This song wasn't appropriate for the situation, it was about this girl who caught her boyfriend cheating on her, and no matter how hard he tries to explain, she would never forgive him. But how does all this relate to the stalker?

Here are the two possible ways of interpreting it:

Possible way No. 1:

The stalker catches her boyfriend cheating on her. Exactly what the song said. But the catch was, who the hell was her boyfriend? We don't even know the stalker, how would we know her boyfriend?

-Crossed out-

Possible way No.2:

The stalker catches somebody's boyfriend cheating on somebody. A little different from the song, but in a way, still quite similar. Highly possible. As the stalker follows us everywhere, so if someone is cheating on someone, the stalker is bound to know. Right, especially since the phase 'when you thought I wasn't lookin' at ya' says that they (the good guys) would be spying on the stalker while the stalker is spying on someone else. And when they catch her red- handed, well that's her doom, she can think about it.

So it's like the bait is there to lure the fish and for the fisherman to reel it in.

Simple but effective plan.

Ino looked at her friends. Sakura was studying trigonometry. Hinata was drawing on her bed. Tenten was playing online soccer on Temari's computer. And Temari is most probably in the living room watching one of the movies she loaned from the video warehouse. They had all decoded the song hours and hours before her, but didn't help her cause they were afraid that the stalker might hear them. They knew their lives weren't so private anymore.

She wondered why they never reported it.

_Oh, yes. Shikamaru said that the press would soon be involved. And their parents would know, the country would know, the world would know. Which was, as he said, troublesome. _

"Well at least I can pass my next literature test," she said stretching herself.

Sakura who was the closest looked at her and smiled. She had gotten the message, Ino was done with the decoding.

* * *

She didn't know why he arranged to meet at this hill far from the city. But at least it would get her video done.

He was there early, strange for a lazy genius, _maybe he flew here, _she thought letting her imagination soar.

"Oi!" She called him, "you're early."

"Came at 5:30," he said loud enough for her to hear, "you're late."

_5:30? He was able to pull up his lazy ass to come here at 5:30? _

"Is this why you're always so tired in class?" Temari asked settling beside him, "you always wake up too early to come here."

He shrugged and laid back on the grass, "not always, only on special mornings."

She looked up in the lightening sky, "so in what way is today a special morning? Is the sun finally going to rise from the other side?"

"No," he laughed at her joke.

He had a nice laughter. Not like her father, hoarse and deep. His was light and gentle, like a deer, but at the same time, it didn't reveal too much weakness.

"Today is particularly special," he said, "because you're here."

She felt her heart tighten to the muscles and veins around it to prevent it from leaping out. Her fingers went into the dewy soil and her face flushed in a summer hue. She knew her camera equipment is always by her side to whack him, but she didn't feel like hurting him. Well not today when she was shivering like mad, _I mean, what was that suppose to mean? _

He just realized what he had just said and winced, quietly. He shifted his eye balls towards her, not making any drastic movements.

_She's shivering. _He thought, _was she cold or just totally freaked out? I prefer the former. Bloody hell, Shikamaru, what were you thinking? _

"That's… that's why…," he frantically scanned his brain for a diversion, "I need to… to… I need the ambience to prevent myself from being totally annoyed by you."

"Excuse me?" She got up with the intention of kicking him, "_annoyed_?"

"Why? Are you surprised?" He acted, "I mean, did you think I meant something else?"

She tried to swallow in the red that was beginning to form on her cheeks, from embarrassment or just the normal blush- she doesn't know.

"Are you blushing?" He snorted, "your cheeks are red."

She really wanted to smack herself.

"I'm just really hot," she lied, "freaking hot."

He sat up and grinned, "which _hot_ do you mean?"

Now, she really wanted to smack him.

"Do you really want to be killed," Temari asked.

"Nah," he laughed, "just playing around with death."

She did a sarcastic laugh.

"So… you're hot but you're shivering?" Shikamaru questioned, "isn't that a bit…"

"Troublesome?" She offered.

"No, weird." He said, "weirdly troublesome."

She gave up, she couldn't control his unbarring attitude. She plopped herself back, next to him.

"I think you were waiting for the sun rise," she murmured, "it's really nice."

He grabbed her hand.

She looked at him with her teal eyes, "hey. I thought I annoyed you."

"Sure you do," he said smoothing his hands over hers and cupping hers in his, "but you were lying, lying about feeling hot."

His voice was soft. Unlike his normal voice which sound rather rude and unbothered. This voice he spoke with was different. It was soft in a way that is sincere and gentle. It was as if he never said she was annoying, it was like he would never offend anybody. This voice was soft as a cloud. A kind nice and deer- like cloud.

His touch was delicate and his skin was smooth. Their skin tone was around the same hue. Sometimes she thought that her hands were his. He had such beautiful fingers, they were just the right size and a little fatter than hers.

He looked up at her. Just inches apart and seconds away from a kiss.

"Your hands are cold," he murmured to her.

She was flaring up inside, burning her feelings away. Her heart ran at a rapid pace, too quick for her to catch up. She could feel the heat rising into her cheeks.

Honestly, she never liked him in that sense.

Truthfully, if he kept this up, she was afraid that she might.

"Have you watch Pride and Prejudice, yet?" Shikamaru asked with her same soft voice.

"No," she said, "I never got the chance."

He nodded thoughtfully slowly let go of her hands, "well, I might want to watch it with you."

It was back to that old voice.

"Who said I would allow you?" Temari asked.

"A certain genius…" he trailed off.

She rolled her eyes, no point arguing with a genius, "whatever."

They looked at the sky which was almost filled with day light.

"Hey," Temari smacked Shikamaru's forearm, "first you touch my hand, I'll let that go. But now you're touching my waist. What are you? Some sick perverted genius?"

"Who said I did?" He said offended, "troublesome."

"I felt it," Temari said, "your hand glided across my waist."

"Then you would've seen my hand 'gliding across your waist," Shikamaru shot back, "don't worry, your not arousing enough to tempt me."

"Shut up," Temari snapped, "don't'- OH MY BLOODY FUCK!" She grabbed Shikamaru's arm, "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?"

On her out- stretched leg was a weasel crawling towards her.

"GET IT OFF, SHIKAMARU," she screamed, "FUCKING GET IT OFF!"

He whistled, "come here, boy, come here."

The weasel obeyed and went to Shikamaru's out- stretched arms, "It won't hurt you, Temari," he laughed at the state she was in, "it's virtually harmless."

"I'm not scared," Temari denied, "I'm just shocked."

"Yeah right, very shocked," he said sarcastically, "get it off, Shikamaru, fucking get it off!" He mimicked her.

The weasel made a sound.

"Are you laughing at me?" Temari glared at it, "oh my god, a weasel's laughing at me!"

"You're so troublesome," Shikamaru shook his head, "go now, go back to your parents."

The weasel didn't move.

"In case you didn't catch that," Temari said, "Mr. Nara here told you to return to your mommy and daddy."

The weasel simply crawled over to her.

"Find its home," she commanded Shikamaru, "it's parents must be very worried."

"I don't think it lives anywhere near here," Shikamaru said, "this is a plain land with no trees no nothing but grass. And weasels normally live in places near water sources."

"So where's the nearest lake, river, ocean…" Temari said stroking the weasel, "it has to be some where near."

"The nearest water body is 50 miles away," Shikamaru said skeptically, "too troublesome to walk that far."

"Then what do we do with it?" Temari asked, "school is starting very soon."

Shikamaru thought for a while, "keep it."

"What?"

"Keep it, didn't you hear me?"

"You mean like a pet?" Temari scoffed, "why don't you keep it, it probably thinks you're it father."

"Father?" Shikamaru said skeptically, "who did it crawl to first?"

"It's doesn't matter," Temari said, "it likes you better."

"Let's see," Shikamaru took the weasel and set it in between the two of them, "the person it crawls to first shall keep it."

They watched as the weasel paced back and forth in a straight line. Then it stopped. Great! One problem, it stopped back between them.

"This is not going to work," Temari said, "we might as well share it."

"You make it seem like we're fight over it," Shikamaru muttered.

"Well you're the genius," Temari protested, "figure something out."

He glared at her, "fine, we'll _share_ it, until we find the weasel a home."

"One more thing," Temari spoke, "stop calling it the weasel, it sounds insensitive."

"And that's coming from you," he said to himself, "then what do you suggest we call it? Temari Junior, perhaps?" He joked.

"I think Shikamaru Junior would be a better name," she shot back, "come on, this is serious. How would you feel if someone called you a stupid name?"

"Like how you did," Shikamaru grinned.

"Forget I asked," Temari ignored him, "what about _Pochi_?"

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

"Whatever, Pochi it is then," Shikamaru stood up with his school bag, Temari followed suit, "anything else you would like to say to complicate my life?"

"I heard you and Shino have been chosen for the ingenuity class," Temari smiled, "now my life's easier."

* * *

A/N: I'm finally done with it. God, it took me long enough. Sorry for the bad quality but hope you liked it.

In the next chapter:

The freshmen finally finds out who this Seeker is. And a new friend- an enemy in disguise.

Review!


	8. Episode Eight: The Unspoken Plan

A/N: This took me really long, I know, you can't really blame me, I have exams.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

* * *

He wanted to kill him, he really did. Place him in the ingenuity class, what the hell was Kakashi thinking.

Right.

He was a genius; of course Kakashi would put him in that class.

Now what was _he_ thinking?

But isn't that class for students who showed interest in advanced education? He had no interest at all. Zilch. He had no motivation what so ever.

Another bad thing about going to that dreadful class would be that none of him friends are going. Chouji, Narutard, loud- mouth Kiba, youthful Lee and maybe even Temari.

She wouldn't be considered an ordinary friend. Just a bench mark between Chouji and Naruto. She was close, but not so close.

"But no one ever stated that out friendship was platonic right? I mean, I could very well, say, fall in love with her and that will be alright right? She wouldn't kill me, she can't. After all, I am her close- but- not- so- close- friend," Shikamaru thought.

All this thinking was giving him a migraine, he'd be lucky if he didn't bang on to a wall or something.

"Young master Nara."

He looked up, expecting to see the butler who mysteriously processed a very feminine voice. Turns out, it wasn't him, it was Temari, mocking him.

How'd he ever consider her as a close- but- not- so- close friend?

"What are you thinking about?" She said in her own bossy way, "the weasel could have killed me and you wouldn't even know."

"Killing Kakashi," he muttered.

She scoffed, "wouldn't that be too troublesome for you? Being in the ingenuity class is an honor. Sakura has been working her ass off to getting into that class and you're sitting here plotting Kakashi's death for placing you into that class?" She paused to let out a sigh of disbelief, "why don't you give that seat to Sakura, she'd be thrilled."

"Easier said than done," Shikamaru said, "and far too troublesome."

* * *

Kakashi came in earlier than usual today.

"I know that all of you would be wondering: Who the hell got into that special class?" Kakashi said in front of the class, "well, no matter what the outcome, I just want all of you to keep in mind that no matter how 'special' this class of students seem to be, you guys will always be special in your own individual way. Roger?"

Naruto raised his hand, "Sen- sei, how am I special?"

He smiled, "well you play damn good soccer."

"WAIT A MINUTE, MINUTE YOUTHFUL SEN- SEI," Lee screamed, "how am I special then?"

"Err… you play damn good soccer too?" Kakashi said weakly.

"That isn't special!" Lee whined.

Sasuke shook his head, "I can't believe such an idiotic person actually exists."

"Ok, ok" Kakashi added like he was calming a crying baby, "fine, you're… you're… optimistic?"

Lee's eyes glimmered like stars, "oh… _optimistic_."

"Do you even know what that means?" Anko asked.

"It means always looking on the bright side," Sakura said.

"I was asking Lee."

"I wasn't talking to you."

Anko scoffed, "do you really want to argue with me?"

"What if I say _yes_?"

Hinata nudged her and gave her a glare, _don't mess with this woman, she'd literally kill you._

Anko stood up, "the rumors about me are not all entirely rumors."

"Do I care?"

She grinned, "the truth is I really _do_ beat people up and your false bravery doesn't scare me."

Sakura stood up, "bitch."

Kakashi came between the two, "girls," he warned.

"You're just paranoid that I'm not the one you're looking for," Anko said, "you're just paranoid that you're assumption was wrong. Well here's what I've got to say: BOOHOO."

"Anko," Kakashi's voice shook.

"You just can't stand the fact that I'm not the Stalker, Seeker whatever shit you and your gang call her," Anko continued, "you're all trying so hard, but you never, never think."

Sasuke stood up, "we never, never think? Shit bitch. You're just defending yourself cause all evidence points to you. The hacking into the school's data base- who can do that?"

"Shikamaru."

He ignored her, "The optical fibers- who uses them?"

"Temari."

"Shut up bitch," Sasuke yelled, "the skill to heave the damn cupboard aside in seconds- whatever fucked up science is that?"

"I don't see Sakura having any trouble with that."

"Shut up, what you're doing now simply tells us that you know enough about us for us to suspect you," Sakura cut in.

Kakashi had given up trying to suppress the fight, he sat down on the teacher's table and watched the performance.

"I'm observant," Anko said, "a quality you don't possess."

Sakura scoffed, "well then, Miss Observant, tell me, who this criminal we have been painstakingly trying to find?"

"Matsuri."

* * *

Kakashi had let them off for early lunch, intending them to quickly resolve the problem they had with Matsuri and her nosy self.

"Tell me," Ino banged her fist on the table, "are you the sadist bitch who attempted murder, violated the NO STALKING law, played around with our lives, MESSED AROUND WITH OUR FEELINGS, KILL 5 GIGAZILLION OF OUR BRAINCELLS AND… AND… ENTIRELY MESSING UP OUR FUCKING DAMN LIVES?"

Matsuri stayed calm and composed.

"I'M TALKING TO YOU BITCH!" Ino screamed, "ANSWER ME."

"Ino don't scream at her," Sakura pushed Ino aside, "I'm _sure_ she has a _rational explanation_ for all her wrong doing," she looked at Matsuri, "_do you_?"

"No," Matsuri muttered.

"WHAT?" Sakura yelled, "YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING BITCH!"

She turned around facing the rest at the gang and glaring down at the home made lie detector.

"BEEP YOU DAMN LIE DETECTOR! FOR HEAVEN SAKE BEEP!" Sakura almost tossed that thing into the air, "SHIKAMARU, ARE YOU SURE THIS FUCKING THING WORKS?" She spun around to face Matsuri, "TELL A LIE."

Matsuri sighed, "I'm a boy."

The lie detector went off, beeping the sound so unfriendly to the ears.

"DAMN IT!" Sakura screamed, "WHY IS IT BEEPING?"

Temari gave Sakura a skeptical look, "because she's not a boy, Sakura. Stop being so paranoid. You're going to harm some one."

"Harm someone?" Sasuke repeated, "what's that supposed to mean?"

Tenten forced Sakura down on to the cafeteria seat, "when Sakura doesn't get her assumptions right, she gets into her huge fit."

"We call that her Inner Sakura- Unleashed! When that happens she totally loses all her common sense and goes around destroying things," Hinata explained, "happens a few times already."

Chouji brought the bag of chips further away from Sakura, "destroying things?"

"Yup," Ino nodded, "she once tore two phone books apart at one go."

The guys gasped.

"And those were phone books for China and India," Temari added.

The guys shifted their chairs further away from Sakura and her friends. Matsuri shook her chair with the tiny hope of moving away and taking cover, the wires that held her to the chair were too tight.

"She broke my first two laptops into halves!" Temari cried, "like 'snap'!"

The guys were already half way out of the cafeteria door, clutching to the nearest thing that might possible fend Sakura off.

"Tsk Tsk Tsk," Tenten said, "you've been skipping those Anger Management classes we sent you to, didn't you?"

Sakura grumbled.

Hinata came up to Sakura, "what did they tell you in those classes to help calm and sooth yourself?" She paused, "deep- breathing. Come on Sakura, breathe in, breathe out," she ddemostrated for Sakura, "breathe in, breathe out. You must do this with me Sakura so you wouldn't hurt our friends. Come on, in…, out…, in…, out…"

Sakura followed Hinata.

"Yes Sakura, in…, out, in…, out…" she stopped to hear Sakura's breathing, "yes, good, now keep that up and close your eyes. And when you close your eyes, picture a relaxing scene."

"Like what?" Sakura said.

"The Grand Canyon," Ino whispered to Hinata, "the Grand Canyon."

Hinata nodded, "Imagine the Grand Canyon. Remember that beautiful place we went to the last time? That's the Grand Canyon."

There was a change in Sakura's facial expression, the frowned just turned up side down.

Hinata turned to the rest in a frantic face, "I forgot the last step," she hissed, "what's the last step?"

"Soothing music," Shikamaru whispered in a hearable volume, "play some soothing music, that's the final step."

"IPod Temari," Hinata said as she caught the IPod flying in mid air, towards her.

"Whoa, I can totally see Sakura's handprint on this cafeteria chair," Tenten said, "cool."

"WHAT?" Matsuri gasped, "handprint? On this metal chunk?"

Sasuke carefully came to Matsuri, "are you scared?"

"No," she said all too curtly.

The lie detector beeped.

They all looked at Matsuri.

"You might want to think twice before answering next time."

* * *

"So?" Anko asked when they came back from their lunch, "was she or was she not."

"No she wasn't," Sai said, " if fact she wasn't even the one at fault. So we're not going to report her."

"What?" Anko looked at Temari, a more trustworthy one, "tell me he's lying."

Temari cringed, "ok… he's lying and I am too by saying that."

"Turns out, someone hired Matsuri to do all this," Naruto said, "she gave Matsuri the footage and the instructions and all Matsuri had to do was to stick them together, post it online and remain totally oblivious to the whole thing," he let out a breathe, "I know, it's freaking haywire. Believe it."

Anko glared at Sakura who was entering with a smug, she scowled.

"Well _someone_ was wrong about Matsuri," Sakura whistled.

Anko stood up and held Sakura by her collar, "well _someone_ was wrong about Anko."

"Hey Mitarashi, put her down," Sasuke came in after Sakura, he eyed Anko with a look and for a moment Sakura thought that she saw Sasuke's iris turned _fire red_ and his pupils was surrounded by three teardrops that emerged from no where.

As soon as Anko saw this she released her grip on Sakura's shirt, her eyes widened and her pupils seemed to decrease in size.

Sasuke's eyes turned back to normal before Sakura could take a second glance. She returned to watching Anko's reaction.

"Uchiha," she muttered under her breath before reaching for her shoulder and making her way to the toilet.

At the teacher's table, Kakashi sat, observing the whole thing. He took out his brief case and slipped a piece of observation in before keeping it away.

"Ok class of brats," he stood up, "back to my announcement."

Everyone got seated.

"As I said before," Kakashi continued, "I've picked two students from our class to join the newest and greatest class: The Ingenuity Class. They will leave our class tomorrow, so basically, this is their last day with us."

"NOOOO…" Naruto cried, "NOOOO…"

Kakashi's eyebrows tweaked, "err… Naruto, I haven't said whose going and whose not."

"Oh yes, that maybe the situation," Naruto agreed, "however, I love all my classmates, so my reaction shan't be altered by who is chosen and who is not."

Kakashi nodded, "ok, I'm proud to announce Nara Shikamaru."

"NOOOO…" Naruto cried.

"And Aburame Shino."

Naruto stopped, "have I heard wrongly? Was it Aburame Shino?" He looked at Kakashi's approving face, "It is? Oh my goodness, oh my lord! Shino's finally going! Shino's finally going!"

… So much for the same reaction.

* * *

"Ino darling!" Orochimaru called out, "how is the homecoming preparations coming about?"

"It's fine Sen- sei, you don't have to worry," Karin budged in and smiled.

Orochimaru did a small quiet clap, "great, so what is the theme this year?"

Karin smirked, "well what is the theme that you were suppose to research, Ino?"

She didn't ask me to research shit, damn bitch.

Orochimaru looked at Ino expectantly, "what is the theme Ino dearest?"

"Errr…" she wreaked her brain for something nice, sensible and would probably record a high attendance.

_Out of this world? Nah. Fantasy wonderland? Where do they get their costumes? Old Hollywood? Not in the mood for that. The Wild, Wild West? Ahem. Swing? I don't know… Secret Garden? Secret Garden. Secret Garden!_

"Secret Garden," she said, "sorry I took awhile, brain freeze."

Ororchimaru stroked his chin, "Secret Garden… Secret Garden…" he allowed the words to roll in his tongue, "I like it."

"What?" Karin snapped.

"Brilliant theme," Orochimaru said, "mysterious yet pure. Draining yet fresh! I bet it's going to be a masquerade, am I right?"

"Oh," Karin laughed oh so fakely, "you got it spot on."

Ino scowled. _Bitch._

"Have you guys prepared the decorations? Make the notices? Give the students time to get their dresses?" Orochimaru asked, "the dance is only two days away."

"I'm quite sure that the student population has been notified of this event and it's theme," Karin said, "after all, good news travels quickly. Am I right Orochimaru Sen- sei?"

Orochimaru nodded, "and the preparations?"

"Ino? Have you done them yet?" Karin asked.

"What the bitch? You never include me in you conversations, let alone discussions. You never want to discuss this outside of class where everyone one will see you with me- honestly what's so horrible about that? You never listen to my ideas and give thought about my feelings. And now, you're here, directing all your responsibilities to me and giving me a fucking hell of a time! It never occurred to me that you were 100 percent bad, but this, this is just low," Ino growled to herself.

"Preparing the preparations," Ino said monotonously, "I'm sorry oh heavenly Karin, I guess I had been slacking a little too much for your worthy presence. Oh please forgive me for being as lazy as you."

"You really didn't do anything Ino," Karin fought back.

"I can't say much for you either," Ino smirked.

* * *

Yui wasn't in school today, her friend, Caroline said that she was sick. He had a hunch, so he asked, if Itachi was in school today.

_No, he isn't little kido._ He recalled that senior in the Drama Club saying so.

Coincidence?

No.

Maybe he should tell Itachi about Yui's problem. About her addiction to steroids. He knew Itachi was a good sportsman, he wouldn't submit to steroids, he thought they made you weaker. Apparently his girlfriend consumes them on a daily basis to enhance her performance.

Sad.

She's like a little starling trapped in a cage of guilt and regret. If she hadn't submitted to them she wouldn't need to stick with Kiba and reluctantly give in to his pleas. But somehow or rather she manages to escape them.

Sad.

If Itachi knew, he'd be disappointed. Someone so close to him, someone he loved dearly, cheating? He wouldn't want to see her anymore, much less, walk the face of this earth. He wouldn't like that fact that he had been hugging a drug addict, kissing a drug addict and fucking a drug addict. He'd probably leave her, break all the ties they have between them.

Sad.

But if he were to tell Itachi, there wouldn't be any chain that would keep Yui attached to him anymore. In one way or another, he was pretty much like her. They were both addicted.

One to drugs.

One to the other.

She would die of internal failure.

He would die of obsession.

* * *

The principal called him in to enquire about his family.

"Are you sure you're not in any way related to Uchiha Itachi?" Tsunabe asked for the eight hundredth time.

"We may look alike, fight alike, smell alike, sound alike, feel alike, have the same surname, but for the eight hundredth time, I only acknowledge Itachi sen- pai, as well, my sen- pai."

Tsunabe laid back on to her chair and sipped her bottle of sake, "ok, you're dismissed."

* * *

Fumiko had sent Sakura down to the general office to ask for more bandages. Apparently, their supply had worn out.

"Excuse me," she asked the lady at the table, "where are the bandages?"

She bent down and pulled out a large plastic box from under her table and placed it on the counter, "somewhere in this mess. Mind looking through yourself? I have a parent to attend to here."

She nodded and started taking out the contents of the box one by one.

"Mr. Uchiha!" The counter lady called.

Sakura looked up, it was Sasuke.

"Please fill in this excuse slip so your teacher knows where you have been, here," she beckoned Sasuke to come over and passed him a pen, "fill in your name, index number, class and period your having now as well as the teacher- in- charge."

Sakura shifted the boxes of cotton wool aside allowing space for Sasuke to write on the counter top.

When she found the box of bandages, she took them out and started returning the contents into the box. Just as she was about to do so. Sasuke settled the pen down and handed the excuse slip to the lady. She was on the phone talking to some raging parent.

Sakura can't help but look at Sasuke for awhile before he felt her gaze and glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"Hows… hows your breathing coming along?" She asked.

"What?" Sasuke faced her.

"You remember that day I had to perform the-" she was cut off.

"Yes, I remember now," Sasuke said, "it's fine, thank you."

He smiled, at her. For the first time.

He was still waiting for the lady to sign the form and return it to him. However, she couldn't do multi- tasking.

Someone entered the office singing a familiar tune. One the two of them knew.

"_You were caught in the act, when you thought I wasn't lookin' at ya, C.I.T.A., I can see what you're doin'_ " the person sang.

"Sai said that that was an old song," Sasuke said, "that hardly anyone in Japan knew about."

"It's a girl," Sakura whispered back to him, "too high to be Temari's or Tenten's, too low to be Hinata's and Ino's. No one would know about this song but…"

They turned back to see a girl with two pig tails sitting on the couch behind them, fiddling with her phone.

Sakura recognized the phone model, Temari used to have one of those. She said that she liked the phone because the quality and definition of the videos recorded were high. Each time she was recording something, a green light would light up near the lens to show that it was recording. This green light was so similar to the one she was staring at on that girls handphone.

"Dang it," she muttered and turned away, Sasuke followed.

"What happened?" He asked.

"She is recording us," Sakura said, "Temari used to have that phone, she said that it was good for recording stuff."

"So that means she's the person ordering Matsuri around?" Sasuke asked, "she's so dead."

Sakura held Sasuke by the arm before he did anything rash, "don't, we haven't confirmed this yet."

"She might escape!" Sasuke hissed.

"Shiho?" The lady called, " is that you?"

The girl sat up from her seat and walked to the counter, "yes, I'm the new girl, here to collect my forms and documents."

"Yes, yes, you are dearie," the lady noticed the complete slip, "oh sorry Sasuke," she signed the slip and tore it out of the book, "here."

The lady took the box of first aid equipment and returned it to it's original position. She went into the printing room to photocopy Shiho registration documents.

Then there were the three of them, side by side. Shiho and Sakura at either side of Sasuke.

The two of them eyed Shiho suspiciously, she had already kept the phone away. They never knew that behind those thick glass frames were eyes of a suspected villain.

"Shizune?" Tsunabe came out of her office looking around for the lady until she realize she was in the printing room, she noticed Sasuke, "Mr. Uchiha, I dismissed you minutes ago, why are you still in the General Office? Have you got you excuse slip?"

"Yes," Sasuke said.

"Then hurry back to class!" she looked at Sakura, "and as for you Ms. Haruno I suspect that the Red Cross ran out of bandages again? I see you've found what you needed, so be on your way, the two of you!"

As Sakura and Sasuke walked out of the General Office, they can feel the gaze of the suspect upon them, but their hypothesis was proven wrong with a single statement:

"We'll meet again Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura!"

It was her.

* * *

A/N: That's it. Pretty short. Sorry.

Next Episode: A Day With Kakashi

It is the weekend and while everyone is busy with everything else, Anko and Kakashi 'coincidentally' bumps into each other in the newly opened theme park. They soon uncover part of Anko's dirty past and wait- she had a boyfriend? What will happen in this not- so- epic adventure? *Dramatic music*


	9. Episode Nine: Carnival RideWhite Houses

A/N: READ THIS:

This chapter came out kind of late cause there are two parts to it. Part i, is the main one, and part ii, was, I don't know, out of boredom. Enjoy. BTW, renamed this chapter due to unforeseen circumstances.

I shall say it again, I DO NOT IN ANY WAY OWN NARUTO. Thank you. + IKEA, cause I mentioned it in the story +the show by Lenka, cause I used a little of it.

* * *

Episode NINE

Part i

She got up, tired as usual, but she couldn't sleep, the staffs were going to come in and open up the shop soon. The place was dark, but she swiftly made her way past bedroom section, the kitchen section, the kids section, the living room section and eventually passed the newly open IKEA café on the second floor. She took the backdoor, which the attendants never fail to leave open, and made her way out of the warehouse.

_I wonder if the cooks would notice that they have lesser meatballs to sell today._

She walked on to the nearest street and snagged the newspaper from the letterbox of one of the terraces there. She read through the usual bleak headlines, desperately finding something she could do to quicken time.

_Plays and Musicals… tempting, but the admission fees… _she dug her hand into her pocket …_ I have zilch. Marathons? Not in the mood. Community projects? Nah, not much of a do- gooder myself…_

There was practical nothing for her to do. She tossed the newspaper into the nearest dustbin. _Anko, Anko, Anko, Mitarashi Anko, you need a little money to help you get through this fucked up life, knowledge and a terrible past ain't enough._

She caught an on coming piece of paper which almost flew into her face. She read it, the advertisement.

_And I thought there was nothing nice to do today._

* * *

Kakashi answered the phone, his boss was on the other line.

"Yes sir," Kakashi said, "I'll be there, at the carnival you said? Yes, oh right, it's less conspicuous. Yes, yes, I've done the cloning research, I'm printing it out right now. Yes, I'll meet you there. Ok, casual wear? Yes, yes, alright, thank you sir. See you then."

His boss called him in the wee hours of the morning to arrange a meeting with Kakashi to discuss their top secret work. Apparently, he was due to meet up with him at the carvinal that just arrived in town. Interesting.

He went to shower and while doing so, he thought about Uchiha, the word Anko muttered before rushing out of class. Was it significant? Need he worry? And was Uchiha referring to Sasuke or Itachi? Sasuke and Anko are in the same class and Itachi and Anko were rivals. There was a connection to both people, but who was she referring to?

* * *

These people had nothing better to do than to sit around from 6am? 5am? To get in front of the queue. Lifeless freaks.

She was hoping to successfully smuggle herself into the carnival without the ticket guy noticing. There were so many people, how could he notice?

There was a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and met the most familiar pair of eyes she had ever seen- Kakashi's. All of a sudden everything froze. It was like her world was almost in slow- motion and everything was centered about the two of them. Everyone else was blank and white, but they were all they shades you could think of, pink, green, purple, orange, blue… Her heart thumped like the beat of That's Not My Name by The Ting Tings. The hands became clammy and moist and there was a burning sensation in her groin. Damn hormones, she hated being vulnerable.

"Anko? What are you doing here?" Kakashi said in what seemed to be, his sweetest voice.

She knew she was going to stutter like Hinata, "What… what… do you think? I'm going to the carnival."

That came out better than she thought it would.

"I'm surprised someone like you goes to carnivals," Kakashi smiled, "which ticket are you getting? Normal one or the premium one?"

"None," she might as well tell him the truth, he'd find out sooner or later, "I plan to sneak in."

"Save the effort," Kakashi said.

"Next!" The ticket officer called, "how many?"

"Two premium tickets," Kakashi pulled out a 50 dollar bill, "oh and she's my girlfriend."

She thought her had a stroke.

"Alright," the ticketing man said, "so that's a 40 percent discount then. Here you go." he returned Kakashi his change and gave him two tickets.

Once they were far enough, Anko stopped him, "what was that? You said I was your… your _girlfriend_?"

"Hey, don't say it with so much remorse," Kakashi said, "didn't you read you advertisement properly. Couples get a 40 percent discount."

"But- wait, how did you know about the advertisement?" Anko asked.

He glided his hand across her waist, it made her hair stand. He patted her pocket with the folded piece of paper, "I'm a spy dear," he whispered into her ear.

A chill went down her spine, _he was too close_.

"Let's go then," he held her by the wrist, "where to? The haunted house?"

She grinned, "are you expecting me to hug you close and say 'I'm scared Kakashi, I'm scared!' those girly stuff?"

"Maybe," Kakashi laughed, "but I know you better than that."

They queued up on the express lane, for people who purchased the premium ticket. This line was faster than the normal one.

The entered the creepy setting before getting on board the ride.

"Carnivals these days are so high tech," Kakashi remarked, "this is practically a theme park!"

She grinned, "it's our turn."

They sat next to each other on the second row of the carriage and the safety bars came down. Kakashi placed his bag in between his legs.

_30 minutes before boss comes._

He looked at Anko in he almost dark room, she looked like happy for once.

"Keep your hands in legs in the vehicle at all times, enjoy the ride," the ride attendant spoke before launching the ride.

They entered a dark tunnel. On the top of the tunnel was a sign that read, THOSE WHO ENTER NEVER RETURN, KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE.

Eerie music accompanied with a low monotonous voice played. The ride went on to a dining room with hungry ghost flying around and food moving at their own will. Some corpse decorated the ceiling. The carriage moved full speed towards a close door, the girl in front of them screamed for the fear that they might crash. But before the carriage could come in contact with the door, it flew open. Revealing a vine labyrinth.

Before they entered the labyrinth, the door behind them close shut. They passed a sign that read: DO NOT ENTER. But before they entered, the ride stopped and the safety bar came up and the doors flew open.

"What the hell?" Anko said, "self maneuvering?"

"No," Kakashi got up and looked around, "the ride shut down, someone stopped it."

Everyone who was on the ride started to panic, some got out and banged on the door they entered from with little hope of escaping.

Kakashi looked at his Blackberry which he set on silent for the ride. He had a message from he's boss.

DO NOT GO. SOME PEOPLE ARE SENT THERE TO STEAL THE CLONING TECHNIQUE.

"Damn it," Kakashi cursed, "they must have stopped the ride."

He took out the gun he strapped to his waist which was hidden under his shirt. Anko was conveniently next to him so he pulled Anko closer to him by her arm.

"Stay close," he murmured into her ear.

She felt his breath trail down her body and shivered.

"We have to get out of here, fast," he pulled her into the labyrinth.

"What? They'll solve the technical difficulties soon," Anko said allowing Kakashi to drag her along with him, "is that a gun?"

"Shikamaru's assassins are here," Kakashi lied, "they figured that should kill me before killing Shikamaru so nothing gets in their way."

_If they found out Anko was with me… It'd be like killing two birds with one stone, they'll kidnap her and extract her perfect DNA structure. Who knows what they are going to do with it._

"Kill you?" Anko repeated, "no, no they can't do that. They can't, I'll kill them, it's easy, I've killed people before."

Kakashi stopped, "what? Who? Who did you kill?"

"My parents," Anko muttered, "when I was eight, with an ice pick."

"Murder and assassination is different-"

"I assassinated Uchiha Itachi's parents," Anko sniffed, "with a rifle. Itachi wasn't there, I could have killed him too, but I wanted it to seem like it was him who murdered his parents."

"Why did you kill all of them?" Kakashi asked in disbelieve, "aren't you scared of getting caught?'

"No I'm not scared of getting caught, besides, they made me very upset," Anko said, "I'll kill whoever that makes me dreadfully upset."

Kakashi thought for a while, "so are you dreadfully upset now?"

Anko nodded and knelt down, leaning against the labyrinth wall. Kakashi looked around to make sure it was safe to be off guard.

He squatted down in front of her. Never in his short time with Anko did he see her cry. She didn't cry went she talked about her frightening past, she never cried when she talked about her deceased parents. But she cried here and now.

"Why are you dreadfully upset Anko?" Kakashi ran the back of his fingers down her cheek, "am I scaring you with all this killing? I guess not. What is it Anko?"

As much as he wanted to get out of here alive, he couldn't drag an upset girl around with him, he might just blow his cover.

"You…" she said between her tears, "they are going… going to kill you."

He didn't get it, "so? Why are you so upset?"

She looked up to face him, "I don't know, Kakashi. I… guess I don't want them to kill you."

He smiled, he was touched by her concern, "they won't, Anko, they can't. Trust me." He stroked her cheek.

She reached for his hand that glided up and down her face, and held it tight "I trust you."

They figure that if they followed the railway track, they'd be able to get out. They twisted and turned in the labyrinth, they ventured so deep into it until a point where they couldn't hear the screams and shouts of the other passengers.

"When is this going to end," Kakashi muttered under his breath, he held the gun in front of him, ready to shoot down anyone who might pose as a threat.

"What's that?" Anko said, stopping and turning around, "What's that sound?"

Kakashi kept quiet to listen to it, it took him 9 seconds to figure out what it was, "damn. It's the carriage."

He started walking pulling Anko behind him. Picking up his pace and eventually sprinting towards the end. Anko frequently turned back to check if the carriage was closing up on them.

"Faster, Anko run faster," Kakashi pushed her, "I can hear the carriage closing up on us, it's getting nearer."

"But I can't run any more," Anko plead, "I'm already running at full speed and I'm tired."

"No Anko," Kakashi insisted, "you have to carry on, you have get out of here alive. We have to get out of here alive."

"No," Anko screamed over the increasing noise the carriage and tracks were making, "my existence is redundant, you have to at least make it."

"You don't understand," Kakashi decided that it was high time to tell her the truth, "the government sent me here to get you DNA not protect Shikamaru, it was a lie."

She couldn't hear him, "I need to tell you something, Kakashi, since I don't think I will make it."

He heard her, but it wasn't clear, not at all. It was like you're underwater and trying to hear what another swimmer is saying. It was all a blur.

"What did you say?" Kakashi shouted at his loudest.

At that moment, the carriage was only a few feet away from them.

"I think I like you, Kakashi," Anko said, "I love you most ardently. I can't express how much I love you, but my feelings aren't strong enough for my to help myself to survive, I can't pull through any longer. I can't push myself hard enough to try to survive to love you everyday. Cause though I have denied this many times, deep down I know that you would never bring yourself to repay my feelings for you, it is virtually and humanly impossible to love someone like me," she allowed the tears to superfluously run down her cheeks, "so my dying wish is for you to know that I love you, strong enough to want you to survive, but strangely not strong enough to want me to survive this with you."

Kakashi was silent for a moment, he looked at her, running next to him.

"I'm sorry, Anko," Kakashi said, "I can't hear you."

All she could see was his mouth moving. She didn't know if he was saying that he hated her, or that he loved her, which was highly impossible.

Kakashi had pulled them to the ground, they laid there side by side, hoping that whatever Kakashi did worked.

They stayed there, in that position until they realized that the noise was slowly decreasing. When Anko turned back to look, the carriage wasn't there anymore, instead, it had driven through the vine walls of the labyrinth. She sat up, Kakashi did too.

"What did you do?" she panted.

"I tossed my bag onto the track so the carriage would go off course," Kakashi explained, "it worked."

Anko took in a deep breath, "why didn't you did that earlier? It could have prevent me from tell you all those stuff," she dug her face into her hands, "it's so embarrassing."

Kakashi laughed, "don't be, I could hear shit. You should be embarrassed because you cried," he laughed so loud, "you cried because of this little tiny thing: me dying. Honestly, there's nothing good to cry about that. I don't understand why you do."

She kept quiet.

"But did you hear what I said?" Kakashi asked.

Anko shook her head, "nothing at all, what did you say?"

"Nothing important."

They waited for half an hour before the technicians came to their rescue. But happiness and relief were not yet found as once the two of they came out, they knew they were much more vulnerable.

"Keep an eye on anyone suspicious," Kakashi said, "and stay close, very close."

They walked for a while before deciding to get something to eat.

They settled down on the table with their tray of food. Once Kakashi assured that it was not filled with poison, they tucked into their fries, chips and burgers.

"So," Kakashi casually asked, "what was the embarrassing thing you didn't want me to hear?"

She stopped eating, "what makes you think I would tell you now?"

"Well-"

"ANKO!" someone came up to them, it was a boy younger than Kakashi, older that Anko, "goodness, who knew I'd bump into you, of all people here?"

Anko's eyes widen, she shook her head, "no… no you didn't 'bump' to me…" she frantically looked around, "they told me you went to Suna."

He twisted his head, "that's because I thought you were there, but turns out you were here all along."

There was a hint of insanity in his voice.

Anko slid off her chair, away from her male friend, "stay away from me, I had enough trouble today, I don't need anymore." Keeping her eyes glued to him, she grabbed Kakashi's elbow and pulled him off his seat, "Kakashi, let's go."

"Wait. Wait. Hold a minute," the man said, "you're having an affair? Behind my back?"

"An affair behind your back?" Anko repeated skeptically, "what the hell are you talking about?"

"We're _engaged_ Anko," he said, "you're supposed to _marry me_."

Anko shook her head, "you're crazy, you're insane, they called off the wedding that I was so unenthusiastic about. I am not engaged to you, here and now and forever. Never. Never. Never."

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid there's some kind of mistake," Kakashi grumbled, "how can she be engaged to you when she's already engaged to _me_?"

"What?" the man squeaked, "no way, you're taking my fiancée away? Bastard!"

"Did you call him bastard?" Anko said, "you're making me very _upset_ you know."

Kakashi looked at her from the corner of his eye. He knew what she wanted. He pulled her away from him.

"Anko," they could hear him chasing after them, "I've spent ten years looking for you, come back."

As they ran Kakashi asked her questions about that mad man, "who is he?"

"My ex- boyfriend," Anko said begrudgingly, "until he started stalking me and became totally obsessed with me. I don't know why."

"You don't," Kakashi agreed, "but I have a feeling I do."

She gave him a what- the- hell- are- you- talking- about- not- going- to- ask- though- cause- I'm- in- a- difficult- situation face.

"That's one reason why I killed my parents, they arranged our wedding without my consent," Anko said, "so I ran away to Suna. But when I heard news that he was coming, I came back to Konoha."

Kakashi passed her the gun, "ok then, kill him soft and clean."

"Ok" she took it from him and turned into a deserted corner, "here, I'll murder him here and dispose his body… somewhere."

When the guy turned around the corner, he found a gun next to his forehead and a man with a garbage bag.

"I never really liked you, bastard."

She pulled the trigger, sending the bullet flying into his head, but never coming out. He fell to the ground without any struggle and died.

They stared at the dead body for a while before anyone could say something.

"Er… well you murder well," Kakashi broke the silence, "ruthless."

"I did it many times," Anko said still looking down at the body, "no difference this time. Sooo… what do we do with this?" She kicked the corpse, "bury it? Drown it? _Eat_ it?"

Kakashi cringed at the mention of _Eat_, "no, leave it here."

Anko opened her mouth to speak, but Kakashi stopped her, "leave it."

They were walking away from the popcorn booth, munching away on the makeshift lunch.

"So what do you mean by 'I have a feeling I do'?" Anko said, popping another caramel popcorn into her mouth, "this is sweet, eww…"

Kakashi had the salted one, "it's a man thing."

Anko stopped and placed her free hand on her hip, "a man thing?" She repeated, "are you s_exist_?"

"No," Kakashi denied, "too troublesome to explain."

She scoffed, "that's Shikamaru's excuse, not yours."

"Whatever Anko," Kakashi said, "just shut up and eat your caramel popcorn that is too sweet for your liking."

"Too bad he's not sweet," she muttered, "it'd save me all this crap I'm feeling."

"What?"

"I was talking to the popcorn."

"…"

"Ignore him popcorns, he's just lonely."

"Now that's lame Anko."

"How is that any of your business?"

"Well, if you haven't noticed" Kakashi tossed his empty popcorn box away, "I'm stuck with you, for the time being."

Anko looked around.

And oh god did she suffer a scare.

The police have barricaded the whole area, pulling people into vans and forensic scientist were all around searching for blood stains and DNA left overs.

"They've found the dead body," Kakashi said, "nobody would have found that dead body, we hid it so well."

"Someone phoned the police," Anko concluded, "that person must have wanted the place to be sealed. Noting comes in and nothing goes out."

"Damn it," Kakashi slammed the nearby table, "it's them, they want to steal- I mean get me."

"They're going to steal the project if I don't get out of here quick," Kakashi thought, "Damn, I didn't bring my badge. I can't call boss for help, he'd know I killed someone, without authorization… Why did I even do that in the first place?"

He looked at Anko, frantically looking around.

"Well, well, well, Kakashi," he said to himself, "she's worried. Because she might get caught?"

_I'm not afraid of getting caught, _he recalled her saying.

"No Kakashi, she's worried for you... Isn't that sweet?" He slapped himself, "remember what boss said Kakashi."

*Flashback*

"Kakashi," the boss handed him a folder, "before I entrust you with this mission, you must swear, swear with all your heart and soul that you would not let your emotions run wild, cause when it does…"

"…you're at your most vulnerable point," Kakashi continued restlessly, "you told me that, many times."

His boss nodded, "but look what happened to your previous mission. She died because…"

"I let my emotions run wild," Kakashi said with his head down, "it won't happen again."

His boss came up to him and glared at Kakashi, "and if it does?"

He thought for awhile, "I'll withdraw myself from this mission."

He nodded again, "open the folder, I just want to gauge if I need any backup to complete this mission. Look at her."

Kakashi took out a piece of paper from the folder and looked at the victim.

Mitarashi Anko.

"This time the victim is younger than you," his boss said, "pretty and intelligent. Don't underestimate her. What do you think, Kakashi? Is she pretty? To your liking? Cause she is, I'd have to assign you to another less important mission."

He couldn't turn down this opportunity, not after blowing his previous mission. He had to regain his status in the organization or the government might kick him out.

"Don't worry," Kakashi assured him, "she'd be like a little sister."

*End of Flashback*

He straightened up, "let's get out of here."

"How?" Anko followed closely behind him.

He stopped and looked at her, "Anko you're the genius, think. How can we get out of this?"

She shook her head, "I'm not a genius, I can't think for nuts."

Kakashi disagreed, "you hardly use your brain, that's why it's a little rusty, but you can do it. Just try."

She closed her eyes, "no, I can't do it."

Kakashi ran his hands through his hair. He needed to get her out of here, if they stay any longer they might find them and get Anko and do all sorts of funny stuff to her.

He bent down till they're of the same height, "please, Anko, I have this important duty to protect Shikamaru."

She looked away like a little child.

He pushed further, "think of how Temari would feel when she found out that her beloved Shikamaru is open to danger. How would she feel?"

"Like I feel now," Anko thought.

"They only like each other platonically," Anko muttered, "nothing amazing between them."

It was a comparison. Shikamaru and Temari compared to Kakashi and herself.

Kakashi thought for awhile, "life is a maze and love is a riddle, you don't know what might happen to them ten years down the road."

She wasn't going to stubborn.

"So you're trying to say that Temari should do whatever in her power to help Shikamaru cause he might mean something to her?" Anko concluded, "is that it?"

He liked how she looked when she was thinking. A little bewildered, a little confused, but eventually, she gets it.

He came closer to her, brushing her fringe aside and kissed her forehead, "no, he already means something to her."

"No one can get out…" she muttered under her breath, "no one can get out."

Kakashi was keeping a look out for anyone suspicious while Anko sat down and think.

"There they are," someone pointed to them, "the one who got stuck in the ride."

Kakashi was about to scoot along with Anko, however Anko thought of a fantastically brilliant plan.

"No Kakashi," she stopped him, "follow my lead."

Before Kakashi could catch up with her, she fell into his arms.

The staff came up to them, "is she alright, I hope neither of you are injured after the malfunctioned ride. Our apologizes."

"No," Anko murmured, "I'm still traumatized, I don't think I can keep this up any longer."

"Hang in there," Kakashi added.

The staff looked at Anko worriedly, "is she faint hearted?"

Kakashi thought for awhile, "very, very faint hearted. She just woke up from fainting. Thank god she's not hyperventilating. The doctor said she needed some kind of medicine when she does, and we don't have it at the moment."

The staff sighed.

Anko's breathing speed increased, "I'm… I'm out… out of …of breathe… hyper… hypervent…venti…ventilating… help me…"

"Oh no," the staff's eye widened, "what do we do?"

"Take her to the hospital!" Kakashi held on to Anko a little tighter, "she might _die_."

That should rouse his guilt. He's liable for all this and he wouldn't want to be liable, did he?

The staff turned frantic, "ok… there's an entrance they didn't barricade," he looked around, "follow me."

Success.

Kakashi said a silent thank you before carrying Anko in his arms.

Anko looked away so that Kakashi couldn't tell that she was practically floating in joyous jubilance.

When all was smooth, the staff stopped, "wait, what's your relationship with this girl?"

"What? You're asking such a question now? When she's about to _die_?" Kakashi emphasized on the 'die'

"No, no, don't get me wrong," the man said, "I just need to know so I can release you, otherwise, I'll send her to the hospital myself."

Anko bit her lips, _damn, I thought he was dumb, he sure looks dumb…_She realized that Kakashi was out of lies, she had to help him.

"Oh," she pulled her hands round his neck, "what would the _kids_ think if they found out that _their father_ couldn't save his _wife_."

She said it in a way so forcefully, with hopes Kakashi could play along.

To maximize effectiveness, she gave his leg a hard kick.

"You know," she practically hissed through her teeth, "the children, their mother, father couldn't save her. That. That."

She kicked him again.

He felt like kicking her back, but he restrained, "I'm her husband."

* * *

"Your kick was a little too hard," Kakashi said sarcastically, on their way to his house, "no pain at all."

"I saved you," Anko said ignorantly, "thank me."

Kakashi ignored her and continued walking.

Anko ran to keep up with him.

It was strangely funny how, as the day progresses, the number of lies they tell about their relationship increases. First, at the entrance, Kakashi claimed that they were _going out_ to get 40 percent discount on the tickets. Second, Kakashi lied to Anko's ex that they were _engaged_. Third, Kakashi told the staff of the carnival that they were _married_ to get out of the carnival legally and discreetly.

Progression.

"See," Kakashi said, "you can think, very well."

"Then why didn't you place me in the ingenuity class?" Anko had to ask, "why did you put Shikamaru in it? It's suspicious how you're placing the person you have to protect somewhere further from you."

"I'm closer than you think I am," Kakashi added without making eye contact like he usually did.

Anko rubbed her temples, "I do not want to touch on that."

Kakashi looked at his watch, "7:35pm, unconsciously, the day passed by like a bullet train. I haven't eaten dinner."

"At least you have dinner," Anko said, "I need to scavenge for food. If I'm lucky the customers at IKEA don't finish up today's stock of meat balls."

Kakashi looked at her amazed, "you live in IKEA? That warehouse for furniture? And eat the uncooked food left there for tomorrow? He paused and thought for a moment, "ingenuous."

They came to a junction at split two ways, left and right. Where IKEA and its stash of frozen meatballs was, was to the left. Where the Ramen shop where Kakashi goes to have dinner was to the right.

"So my makeshift home is to the left," Anko said pointing to the direction, "I guess I'll see you on Monday."

She turned around, without saying goodbye or even a simple wave and walked back to the place she found herself waking up in today.

The sun was already half way down the horizon and she was exhausted, so I didn't seem like a bad idea to just go back and retire into one of those strangely named beds.

As he stood there watching Anko's shadow enlongate with the setting sun, he couldn't help but feel horrible inside for not helping her lead her already terrible life.

A dinner wouldn't hurt.

"Anko!" He called her, "wait, do you want to grab a bite, you know, have dinner? With me?"

She smirked, he didn't see it, but she smirked so much that she could fall flat to the ground laughing and die of a stomach ache.

She ran back to him, "where to?"

He ignored her sudden change in mood, "Ichiraku Ramen."

"That better be good."

"Oh it is."

She nodded, "you have very soft heart."

"What are you trying to say?"

"You can't control your emotions well."

End of

Episode NINE

Part i

* * *

A/N: Yes I do agree that the IKEA part was crazy, what the hell was I thinking? And yes, there were many unanswered questions in this part. Some of the parts didn't make sense to me either, but I'm too lazy to change it, let the readers suffer…. muahaha.

But whatever, so here's part ii (a chapter to make up for my very short chapter eight, it's upsettingly short) and another disclaimer.

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own N.A.R.U.T.O- that spells Naruto.

* * *

Episode NINE

Part ii

From: Mega Video Store

Reminder to Miss Ten that the following videos are due tomorrow:

Pride and Prejudice

Georgia Rule

Stardust

Please be reminded that the usual late return policy will apply if the video is not returned by the return date.

Thank you.

*Do not reply this automated SMS.

"Damn it," Temari slid back her roller chair, "tomorrow? God, I've been so caught up by high school drama and not to say homework, that I totally forgot about this whole fucking thing!"

She looked at the stack of loaned DVDs, "I haven't even got to watch Pride and Prejudice."

Another SMS came in.

From: Genma Sen- sei

Temari, I was going through all your classmate's video project and I've realize that I haven't collected your, can you e- mail that file to me? Thanks.

She knocked her head on the wall, "I'm not done yet… Sen- sei."

Her phone rang, she picked it up.

"Yes?" She didn't bother to sound nice and welcoming, "what can you do to further complicate my life?"

"Tell you that your DVDs are due tomorrow and that your project was long due."

"Shikamaru?" Temari asked without expecting a reply, "you have the strength to pick up your phone and dial my number… impressive."

He was silent for awhile, "I've got you on caller ID, so there's only one number to dial. Since your life is already so hectic, I shan't trouble you by request you bring Pride and Prejudice over for me to watch, and if possible, Stardust too."

"I'm not going to bother asking you to come over to get it yourself," Temari said, "you'd rather die."

He didn't answer.

"Whoa, you that lazy not to even comment on my statement," Temari took out her camcorder and tripod stand from the cupboard, "I'm coming over any ways, to deliver the DVDs and complete my project."

"Make it quick," Shikamaru mumbled, "I'm going to fall asleep soon."

"Don't you have coffee?"

"It's downstairs."

* * *

She pressed the doorbell to Shikamaru's house and the gate, the size of 10 average doors, opened up. She stepped in and headed forward, cause logically that's the only way she could go.

The walk to the front pouch was long though you could see it when you first walk in. Man, his house is B.I.G. On the way to the front door, she admired the neatly planted row of trees along the road. It shaded the afternoon sun perfectly and purified the air around the vicinity.

Behind the row of trees on either sides, was a flat unused piece of grassland that stretched as far as the eye could see.

"And all this belongs to him," she muttered under her breath, "neat."

She walked round the white marble fountain which stood just in front of the house. The water jolted out of the nozzle creating spider sprays in every possible direction. The water seemed greenish blue even though there wasn't any lighting involved.

Before she could actually proceed into the house, she had to cross a lawn the stretches endlessly, length wise and only a few meters, breadth wise. Along the pavement on the lawn, Temari could see white marble statues of many different angels and tall vases containing white roses.

There was this weird greekish feel to the whole setting.

She began walking up the stairs to finally reach the front door. The railing were again, marble, white marble, and the steps, I needn't say.

Shikamaru's butler opened the door to greet her.

"Welcome Miss Ten," he smiled, "let me show you in."

As the walked in, Temari had came to the weird conculsion that Shikamaru loved white marble. His house was blooming with it. White marble tables, white marble chairs, white marble vases and white marble stairs.

"How many floors are there?" Temari asked the butler as the climbed a flight of stairs that curved to the left, a similar one was on the right, but either way they lead to the exact same place.

"Around five," he said, "don't mind me asking, Miss Ten, are you from Suna?"

"Suna?" Temari repeated, the word sounded oddly familiar, "no I don't, why do you say so?"

"Your appearance are similar to those from Suna," he said, "but it's a mistake, so we shouldn't dwell too much on the subject. Here."

He stopped in front of a tall mahogany door and beckoned her in, "the family theater."

She entered only to find it wasn't a family theater, but an actual cinema, the ones you go to to watch movies. The lights weren't dimmed yet, and along the 8th row or so was a very familiar person.

"Took you long enough," Shikamaru said, "I was about to fall into eternal slumber."

She handed the DVD to the butler who was going to the control room, "where's Chouji?"

"Coming," he watched her settle in next to him, "chip?" he offered trying to be polite.

She shook her head, "leave them for Chouji."

Something furry glided along her neck, it was Pochi. She held it by the limbs and settled it on her lap, it ran rounds before sitting down.

"It was looking for you today morning," Shikamaru said, "sniffing all around my house, thinks it's a dog."

She nodded, "I like your house, I like your taste."

"I didn't do this," Shikamaru looked around, "my mom did. That troublesome woman. Don't know why my dad married her."

"Maybe he loved her," Temari said stroking the weasel, "I mean, he would overlook all her flaws just to be with her, don't you think?"

He kept quiet.

"Whatever it is," she said, "I just like your house, _alot_."

"Well…if you want," he muttered, "you can come and stay over some times, Chouji does that whenever he can."

"Are you serious?" Temari almost yelled, "I can stay here for a period of time and you won't mind?"

"Hey I have at least 30 unused rooms in this house," he said, "chose anyone, leave your stuff there and whenever you want to come your stuff is already here. This way it's less troublesome."

"You mean Chouji has his own room in your house?" she asked, "THAT'S SO COOL!"

Shikamaru was kind of getting freaked out by Temari's major hyperactive outburst.

Chouji came only a few minutes after Temari's outburst. They watched Pride and Prejudice, Stardust and Transformers.

It was 9 when they were done.

"Damn it Shikamaru," Chouji exclaimed, "your house is so big that I can't remember the location of my room."

Shikamaru sighed, "third floor, to the left and down the hall way."

"There are tons of rooms along the hallway," Chouji said, "which one."

"Fifth to the left," Shikamaru said curtly, "my house isn't _that_ big."

"You always say that," Chouji's voice trailed of as he walked back to his room.

Once Chouji was out of sight Temari couldn't help but ask Shikamaru about the number of servants and maids he had.

"None," Shikamaru said, "just the butler and me, servants and maids, too troublesome."

She looked at her watch, it was already 9:30pm, "where's the butler? I need to return those DVDs."

"He went to return it," Shikamaru said, "very efficient."

There was an awkward silence between the two of them. Temari didn't know whether to go or not to go. Shikamaru didn't know whether he should ask her to stay or not. So they stood there, in the middle of his living room, avoiding eye contact and seeming busy taping their shoes and staring at the all too familiar furniture again and again and again…

"So, are you going to stay or not?" Chouji shouted from the third floor, "make up your mind Temari!"

It freaked her out how Chouji knew she was there without looking. But there was a tight constricted knot that formed, she had and issue she didn't want to solve.

She felt the weight of her backpack on her left shoulder, dragging her down. Well, of course she couldn't stay, she had to complete her project and e-mail it to Genma Sen- sei.

"Hello woman," Shikamaru brought her back to earth, "make up your mind."

That was the most in- character way he could ask her for her final decision.

_Woman? _He was being rude again. _Well so much for my dilemma. _

"No, sorry, I can't stay," she headed for the front door, "got to do my homework, _Nara_."

She had planned to walk of with style and pose, leaving Shikamaru… astounded? by her coolness and lost for words. That would be one of the most coolest phase in her short, boring life. And once she out of the door, leaving it and Shikamaru behind her, she would grin and snicker like an evil witch who has practically nothing better to do in her life than to torture little child prodigies.

That was her diabolical plan.

"Temari."

_DAMN IT. _

_Poise Temari, POISE._

"What?" She snapped, "did I forget something?"

_Please say 'No', please say 'No', please say 'No'…_

"Yes."

_FUCK IT. _

"It's your turn to take care for the weasel," Shikamaru pointed to the fur ball that stood obediently beside him.

_This is one of the few phases in my life where I was disgustingly un- cool. _

Temari wished that a 2000kg weight would just fall on her. Or made a T- rex could stomp on her, or the ground would give way and bring her on her _Journey to the Center of the Earth_! Anything that could save her this embarrassment.

"I bet he's secretly laughing his heart out," she thought.

"I would laugh, but it's plainly too troublesome," he thought.

"Temari…" Chouji called her, "you should know that I'm waiting for Shikamaru to play Guitar Hero with me!"

Score Track:

Cool factor: +1-1

Un- cool factor: +1+1

_Kill me._

* * *

She clicked 'Send'. She was finally done with her project. Finally.

She scanned through her mind finding anymore undone work.

Return DVDs? Check.

Video class Project? Check.

She laid back in her seat, and sighed there was school tomorrow and she didn't feel like sleeping. All her other friends were in dreamland making up their own melodramatic life. She on the other hand had nothing to do, or not.

A few days ago, Naruto mentioned something about this Code Breaker on . It wasn't much like her to read up stories people create using her name, only to be actually referring to her. But what the heck, life can't get any bad can it?

That night, Temari came to the conclusion that she was insomniac, she couldn't sleep very easily, only when she felt like it.

_Is Insomnia heredity? Cause Tenten seem to have no problem with sleeping, she sleeps like a pig just like mom and dad… _

* * *

He couldn't sleep, not because something's bothering him, something's always bothering him. He couldn't sleep because of his sleeping disorder the doctor diagnosed him with when he was young: Insomnia. They classified it under 'serious cases' as he had never, never at all in his whole life, slept a wink. But because he was the late Kazekage's son, he needn't stay in the institution.

It was only a matter of time when that 'something bothering him' could be solved. He needed to wait for the right opportunity and the appropriate time to achieve definite success.

"Gaara," Kankuro moaned under the blanket, "please remember that we sleep in the same rented room and when I sleep, you keep quiet. Stop mumbling your stupid plans under your breath, it's annoying."

"Shut up Kankuro," Gaara hissed, "we are running out of time. If we don't bring Temari back to Suna to resume her position as the next Kazekage, our family wouldn't be the ruling family anymore."

Kankuro sat up on his bed and looked at Gaara who was sitting on a bed opposite his, "and?"

"We wouldn't be the superior," Gaara muttered.

Kankuro shook his head, "but even if Temari did take the position of Kazekage, Suna laws state that woman can't issue or terminate any laws, they can't change the constitution which is equivalent to having no power."

Gaara rolled his eyes, "that's why father's will mentioned getting Temari webbed to the Uchiha Clan's only heir before resuming position."

"You mean Temari has to marry Itachi?" Kankuro squeaked, "but he already has a girlfriend."

"We'll find a way to get rid of her," Gaara assured him, "right now the only problem we have is that annoying Nara boy that keeps harassing Temari."

Kankuro nodded in agreement, "we have to be careful around him, he is very unexpected."

"Whatever it is," Gaara said, "we have to get Temari to leave the country and stop her relationship with the Tens, cause she isn't one of them, she is a Sabaku."

"Right," Kankuro added, "father said that we lost Temari once in the World War between Suna and Konoha, because they had to protect her. That isn't going to happen again."

They're going to get her back.

* * *

A/N: After reading my work, I can assure you that this has got to be the worst chapter ever. But I'm too lazy to retype this whole piece of shit.

Next Episode: 10 things about her

We all know that Neji is a guy of signs and destiny. But what if one day he chooses to ignored the signs and what destiny might bring him, because he doesn't want it to happen? Well today was the day.


	10. Episode Ten: 10 Things About Her

A/N: I know this took long, sorry.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, not at all, and never in my whole damn life.

* * *

"Hey Neji," he heard Sasuke's voice looming over him, "wake up, damn it."

Neji sat up from his bed and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands, he glanced at the alarm clock by his side. 10:10.

"It's only 10:10, Suck- suke," he groaned.

"_Only_?"

He wanted to nod, until a thought ran through his mind, reminding him what day it was. Monday. It was a school day.

"FUCK," he jolted back up, "HELL IT'S MONDAY! WE'RE FUCKING LATE!"

Sasuke scoffed, "about time you figured out. What's the matter with you, gosh."

He looked around for Sai and Shino, "where are they?"

Sasuke turned away walking back to his room, "went to school, you do remember that today is Shino's first day in the ingenuity class, do you?"

Neji made a face, "so? Does that give them reason to leave the house without waking us up?"

Sasuke ignored the question and walked out of Neji's room.

He got up from his bed and changed his clothes, packed his bag and gobbled the first thing that he saw on the breakfast table, a donut.

He grabbed his keys from their usual spot and started his car engine only to realize that it wouldn't start.

"Damn it," Neji cursed, "start you fucking piece of metal! Start!"

As if the car understood what Neji was saying, it broke down before his very eyes.

"Come on," Sasuke said coolly from his car, "I'll give you a lift."

Neji hesitated, as much as he wanted to, he didn't Sasuke to feel that he was in a way inferior to him. In many ways Neji was much more mature than Sasuke and he did have a larger fan base, right.

"If you're going to take public transport," Sasuke spoke, breaking his chain of thoughts, "at least know which bus number you're supposed to board."

Neji didn't catch that, public transport was something almost alien to him.

Sasuke sighed, "you have to walk ten blocks to the nearest bus stop, wait for bus number ten, it'll probably take around ten minutes to arrive. Stop at the tenth stop which should be the train station, board the train and alight at the tenth stop, walk for another ten minutes or so before reaching the school."

Neji can't help but give Sasuke a very stupid looking face, "what?"

Sasuke sighed, "I knew it, just abandon your damn pride and get in, we're already damn late."

* * *

Neji and Sasuke walked casually into the classroom, like there was nothing wrong with being late.

It was Kakashi's period.

Neji looked around the class and realized that Shikamaru and Shino had already switched to the ingenuity class, that was quick.

"Sit down the two of you," Kakashi said, handing Sasuke and Neji their graded assignment back, "congratulations, Neji you scored full marks for this test."

Neji received the paper and on the top right hand corner, written in red and bolded with a large circle, was 10/10.

There was a shiver that went down his spine, "10…" he thought, "I had seen too many of these already, it's becoming scary."

Then it hit him.

"It may be a sign," he thought walking back to his own seat.

And as he was doing so, he came to a seat that was rather different than he had imagined. His seat by the window, beside Sai was a little different.

"Believe me," Tenten, who was sitting at where Sai was supposed to be seated, muttered, "I hate this as much as you do."

"Tenten?" he screamed in his head, "Tenten? As in one zero one zero? As in one thousand and ten? As in 1010, 1010? That Tenten?"

Fuck, he's going insane.

He turned towards Kakashi, "please tell me I'm not sitting beside her."

Kakashi thought for awhile, "okay… I'm not going to tell you that you're not not supposed to sit beside Tenten."

Neji wanted to kill him, "isn't that the same as telling me I have to sit next to… to… _Tenten_?"

"Hey Neji," Kakashi said, seriously, "not everyone here likes there new sitting arrangement."

It was then that Neji found out that everyone in the class was not where they're supposed to be.

"The principal had specifically noted that it was mandatory for the pupils in our class to rearrange our position as she sees this as a possibility of the recent online internet scandals," Kakashi added, "she specifically stated that Gaara, Sasuke and Sakura are not to sit any where near each other. Gaara, Shikamaru and Temari can't be together. Neji, Ino and Sasuke can't be near each other. Lee, Kiba and Naruto to be separated as their too loud together. And Naruto has to retain his original seat as he is disruptive," he kept the note in his pocket, "took me awhile to sort you guys out."

Now he was sitting next to Tenten, behind them were Temari and Sakura, as well as Ino and Sai which are all the way back. On the row next to them is Naruto and Hinata, Kiba and Kankuro and the last row, empty. The final column consisted of Sasuke and Lee, Chouji and Anko and Gaara and Matsuri.

"Neji," Kakashi said, "sit down, it's not like Tenten's going to eat you up, besides, there is a possibility that you may not be sitting next to her. The principal is coming to check on the arrangement and she might want to do some changes."

Neji nodded, "eat you up would be an understatement," he thought, and glanced worriedly at the unhappy Tenten, "more like take over my life."

* * *

During Biology, Neji heard some strange noises coming from the table behind him, he had to turn back and check to remember who it was. He wasn't used to the new seating arrangement.

"Temari," he whispered, "can you keep it down?"

"Sorry," she replied, "shut up you weasel!"

He turned back again, "what did you call me?"

Temari tried to get what he was asking, "oh.. oh no, I wasn't calling you a weasel. I'm talking to… Sakura."

Neji looked at Sakura, she was attentively listening in class, ignoring his gaze.

"She doesn't seem like the talkative type," he said skeptically, "what is it?"

Temari rolled her eyes, "it's none of your business, now go."

"If you make another sound," Neji warned, "it will soon be my business."

He turned back to face the front, he tried to continue from where left of.

"Characteristics of enzymes," he read the board, "ok, Neji," he said to himself, what are the characteristics?"

He tapped the table, trying to think of the answer, "er… they're specific, required in minute amounts and…"

She was making those sounds again.

He was about to turn around before Tenten stopped him, "if you must know, whatever that was making those sounds is a weasel."

Neji faced her, "a what?"

"Are you deaf? A weasel."

He scoffed, "a weasel?"

"Yes, a weasel dumbass!"

"I don't believe it," he said, "how did she manage to bring a weasel into the class? Or better yet, how did she get it?"

"She and Shikamaru found it on some hill," Tenten said keeping her volume low, "don't ask me what they were doing there."

He turned around and this time, he saw traced of fur on Temari's table, "there really is a weasel."

"Told you," Tenten wrote something on her textbook.

"How long have they been keeping it?"

Tenten stopped writing and thought for a while, "I think ten days."

"I should have guessed."

* * *

"Ok," Gai sen- sei said, "let's learn about youthful MOLE today!"

Gai was the class's chemistry teacher.

"Ok youthful Avogadro thought of a way…" Gai said.

"Avogadro is dead sen- sei," Sasuke interrupted, "that's not very youthful of him is it?"

Gai shook his head, "no, Sasuke, that's not very youthful of _you_ to interrupt while the teacher's talking."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "whatever Gai sen- sei, can you just get to the point?"

Sasuke didn't like Gai, not at all, he thinks that Gai is curding his intelligence by infecting all his stupidity to the students. Naruto was enough, now it had to be a teacher.

"No, un- youthful Sasuke I can't get to the point," Gai said, "unless you can tell me how many particles one mole of particles contain."

He didn't know. But he also didn't want Gai to continue blabbering away about some youthful dead guy and how he mysteriously stumbled upon this discovery. He wanted to get straight to the point, finish this damn chapter and go to the next, cause guess what? Mid years were arriving and they barely covered half of what they're suppose to cover before the exams.

There was only one person he knew that would read before hand and that was none other than Haruno Sakura. But too bad they weren't near each other, now the whole class was going to undergo a brain drain session because of him.

"6 X 10 to the power of 23 particles, sen- sei," Sakura stood up and answered the question that was meant for Sasuke.

Gai smiled and gave Sakura a thumbs up, "as smart as always youthful Sakura."

Neji was literally about to zone out, although Gai can be really comical and nonsensical in class, it was altogether really boring and hard to keep to a certain level of enthusiasm all the time.

He laid his head onto the table and shut his eyes, prepared to fall into dreamland, "wake me up when chem is over."

"I'm not your maid," Tenten muttered, kicking his leg.

He ignored that and went into sleeping mode.

"So," Gai turned to the board and wrote down the theory, "the Avogadro constant states that one mole of particles contain 6 X 10 power 23 particles, and if you're wondering what is 10 power 23, it is: 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10x 10 x 10x 10…"

God, now he was hearing it in his dreams too, "kill me."

He sat up, "KILL ME!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at Neji with a what- the- hell look.

"I was telling him a ghost story," Tenten lied.

A normal teacher would reprimand Tenten for not paying attention in class, but Gai wasn't a normal teacher.

"Really," Gai came over to their table, "tell me!"

Tenten glared at Neji from the side of her eye, "you owe me one," she muttered.

And the curse of the number 10 continues to strike him.

* * *

During Physics…

"Class," Kakashi said, "you will be tested on heat transmission in the next lesson, so do remember the different ways heat is transmitted."

Sakura raised her hand, "how long is the test?"

Kakashi thought for a while, "well it's a short test, I'm aiming for 10 questions, one mark each, so 10 is the total. I guess the test should be 10 minutes then."

Neji banged his head on the table, cause guess what? The test was on chapter 10.

* * *

During History…

"Neji," Iruka called, "name me at least 10 social impacts that came about during Hitler's rule."

"Err…" he haven't been studying history at all, it was boring and totally unnecessary, "I don't know."

Iruka shook his head in disappointment, "I guess I'll have to call register numbers then."

"Let me guess," Neji wondered to himself, "register number 10?"

Iruka tapped on the table, "ok, this month is the second month, so 2…"

Neji sighed in relieve, "haha, the curse is wearing off!"

"…plus 8 is ten," Iruka said, "register 10, who is it?"

Neji felt a 5000kg weight fall on him, cause guess what? He was register 10.

* * *

During the Lunch Break…

Neji was queuing up for his food, when it was his turn he told the lunch lady the orders for Sasuke, Sai and himself.

"One beef burger with Coke, one Pancake set with extra honey and one spaghetti with extra cheese, how much?" he asked.

The lady logged in the orders and printed the receipt.

He was praying- no begging- that it wasn't ten dollars, or better yet, ten dollars and ten cents.

"8 dollars," she said.

He spaced out.

"8 dollars," she repeated, "are you deaf?"

"8 dollars?" he said, "really?"

"I can charge you 10 dollars if you want," she said.

Neji was about to kindly decline when someone interrupted him.

"Yes charge him 10 dollars, I'm getting onion rings."

He turned to see who was the horrible person who totally, permanently ruined his day, and guess what? It was Tenten.

"You owed me one," she said, "remember?"

* * *

During the Lunch Break Part 2…

He sat with Tenten and her friends since: number one, they were his friends, number two, Sasuke and Sai were already there.

He gave Sasuke and Sai their order and Tenten her onion rings and sat down.

"Oh," Temari started, "I almost forgot to tell you guys I'm not coming back for dinner."

"Let me guess," Ino said, "you're going on a date with Shikamaru?"

"You guys got it going really quick," Sakura squealed, "how cute."

Temari smacked Sakura's back and made her choke momentarily, "not you too! Come on, we're just going to the video store-"

"Can't you think of some place more romantic than the video store?" Ino interrupted.

Temari shot a glare at Ino, "no I can't, I'm sorry to disappoint you. And I was saying, we're going there to buy DVDs cause their selling their DVDs for 10 for 10 dollars."

Neji dropped his spoon, "what did you say?"

Temari grinned, "I know it's unbelievable selling each for a dollar."

"No, no," Neji said, rudely, "what did you say?"

"Their DVDs are going at 10 for 10 dollars," Temari said, "why? Are you interested?"

"NO!"

"Chillax Neji," Sasuke patted his back, "you're seriously freaking out."

"I think he skipped his anger management class," Sai suggested.

Neji glared at him, "it's called Yoga."

Sasuke laughed, "whatever, it's still the same. Anyway, you only attend one of their lessons out of the…"

"Ten," Sai added.

Neji screamed into Sai's face, "WHY ARE YOU GUYS HAUNTING ME?"

"Oh my fucking gosh Neji," Tenten yelled at him, "stop it, you've been at it the whole time in class. It's pissing me off."

"I'M PISSING YOU OFF?" Neji screamed losing all forms for his sanity, "WELL IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, YOU'RE THE ANNOYING ONE, ALWAYS BOTHERING ME AND HAUNTING ME. WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT BITCH?"

There was silence.

"Um…" Sakura broke the silence, "I have trig homework to complete."

Everyone knows that she was lying cause she always does her homework at home.

"I'm hungry," Hinata stood up, "need to get something to eat."

She was lying too because everyone knew Hinata had the smallest appetite in the world.

"Need to change my pad," Ino said, "it came this month."

"Again?" Temari asked.

Ino shot Temari a glare, "no, I haven't got it yet, this is the _first_ time this month."

When Ino walked away, there were only Sasuke, Sai, Neji, Tenten and Temari left sitting on the table.

Watching the silence.

"Well, I need to use the bathroom," Sai said.

"What?" Sasuke snapped, "it's your time of the month too?"

"Very funny," Sai said, "just checking on my dick, see if it's still intact."

Temari spat out the water she was drinking, it went all over Sasuke, "what the hell Sai, I'm consuming food."

"Technically, it's water," Sasuke said wipping the water off his clothes with a tissue, "and you didn't consume it, you spat it, spat it on me. Now I have to go to the toilet too."

Temari glared at the two of them, remembering never to forgive any of them for leaving her with the two most angry people at that time.

"So," Temari said intending to break the silence and chill the atmosphere.

"TEMARI!" She recognize Shikamaru's voice from afar.

"I got to go," she stood up, "you know… he needs me, so… um… bye."

They shot daggers at each other, curse the other party in any way they can, using swear words as if there was no tomorrow.

But then, Naruto came along.

"Oh," he exclaimed, "so now the two of you are going out?"

"HELL NO!" they shouted at him in union.

* * *

Ino was walking along the hallway, going back to class when she saw Sai and Sasuke in a distance.

"How'd you get away?" Ino asked the two of them.

"The toilet excuse," Sai said, "but it isn't really an excuse, cause your friend Temari spat water all over Sasuke."

She felt a cold happiness inside of her, like she was thanking Temari for spitting on Sasuke, like she was glad that he was spat on. After rejecting her in front of the whole school, and permanently damaging her status, he still dare become her friend. Fine, she'll allow him to come into her circle of friends, but he'll have to beware cause she was going to slowly tear his pride, his dignity, his status, his coolness into tiny, tiny bits. He won't dare reject her any more, he would come wanting her, on his knees he'd ask for her forgiveness. Pure, rich, thick revenge. It was like coffee, bitter, yet vengeance never tasted so sweet.

"You deserved it," Ino said walking away, "Suck- suke."

* * *

Temari found Shikamaru near the vending machine, apparently hiding from someone.

"Thank you," she came over to him, "you S-A-V-E-D me."

Shikamaru raised a brow, "you're being kind today."

She smacked his arm and joined him in 'hiding'.

"Now's you're turn to S-A-V-E me," Shikamaru turned to her, "you see that girl over there?"

Temari looked towards the girl he was pointing to, "why? You like her?"

"WHAT?" his voice became all high and pitchy, "what? Hell no, she is so damn annoying."

"Not troublesome?" Temari suggested, "cause that's what you frequently call me."

Shikamaru looked at her, "she is nothing like you, believe me. You're bearable, she's… she's unbearable, it kills."

Temari nodded, "so what do you want me to do?"

"Lure her away," Shikamaru said, "get her away from me."

She laughed, "she's that bad?"

"Fill you in after school," Shikamaru whispered, "now go."

She walked away from the vending machine, feeling Shikamaru's gaze on her. She made her way towards the girl he pointed out, one with her hair tied in two pig tails and round glasses. Your typical nerd.

"Excuse me," she tapped the girl's shoulder, she seemed to be looking for something, "are you looking for something?"

She turned around and seemed pretty surprised when she saw Temari, "yes, in fact I am. I think you should know where it is."

Temari nodded slowly, "how do I know where it is if you don't tell me what you're looking for?"

"I'm talking about Shikamaru," she said curtly, "where is he?"

"What makes you think I know where he is?" she shot back, she didn't feel like being nice to this little nerd face anymore.

She smirked, "cause you have him in your pocket, letting him think that he's yours. Well let me tell you something, _witch_, when he is broken from your _genjutsu_, he'll come running to me, so enjoy him while you can."

"Witch? Genjutsu?" Temari couldn't stand this bitch, "you're talking like Shikamaru's Channel wallet we're fighting for. Well let me make this clear to you missy: number one, don't talk about Shikamaru like he is some kind of product you can buy and keep, number two, we're so not fighting for him, at least not me, number three, I hate Channel."

Just when Temari's about to walk away, the girl grab hold of her arm, "number four, if Shikamaru ever asks you to be his girlfriend, would you?"

She turned and faced the girl, "I don't know who you are and what you want from me, but all I know is that Shikamaru doesn't want you hanging around him and has personally sent me to 'lure' you away and if you really like him, listen to him and just leave him alone."

"I'm afraid I can't," she said before Temari could walk away, "I know he doesn't like me, not yet, but if I have to, I will do whatever it takes to have him in my hands, even if it means _eliminating the competition_."

Temari felt uncomfortable inside by that statement, she felt uneasy, like her life is at stake. Quickly, she picked up her pace and reported back to Shikamaru.

"Remember what we planned today ok?" Temari told him once she returned, "you must never, never forget, you must come even though your life is at stake, I will keep waiting at the school gate for you, I won't leave until you come. Understand?"

"Relax, Temari," Shikamaru gave her a weird face, "I mean, I will be there, wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Right," Temari laughed, "there will be no world if you miss it. That damn bitch threatened me."

"What did she say?" Shikamaru asked.

"No matter what it takes she'll get you, even if it means eliminate the competition," Temari scoffed, "how can she see me as competition, I mean she was pratically shooting daggers at me!"

"Shooting daggers?"

"Yeah," Temari said, "she won't dare kill me."

Shikamaru stopped on his tracks, "but she dares kill an animal."

They ran at light speed towards the classroom, towards Temari's new table and Shikamaru watched Temari ransack her whole table to find that fur ball.

Hinata was watching the two of them the whole time.

"It's not here," Temari said zipping her bag, "it's not anywhere."

"She took it?" Shikamaru asked.

Temari nodded, "most probably."

There was silence. Only Neji, Sasuke, Sai, Sai, Ino, Hinata and Tenten were there at that time.

"Oh well," Temari sat down on her chair, "nothing we can do about it."

Shikamaru agreed.

"Hey Shikamaru," Sai smiled at him, "where's my brother?"

"He was in the school backyard," Shikamaru said, "examining bugs."

Sai's smiled eye widen, "freako."

"Oh My God," Hinata exclaimed, "you two are the two most heartless people I've ever seen in my life."

"No, I just can't be bothered," Shikamaru said, "she's the heartless one."

"Whatever," Ino said, "Sakura brought it to the toilet, it was dirty."

…

"Can't you guys at least show you care?" Hinata demanded.

"OH GOODNESS! THANK GOD OUR DARLING WEASEL IS SAVED!" Temari acted out, "I ALMOST DIED OF A HEART ATTACK."

"That's better," Ino laughed.

And just when Neji thought the curse was wearing off…

"Damn it!" Temari cursed.

"What?" Shikamaru asked.

"I dropped my phone like 10 times today," she said picking up the phone on the floor.

"That's going to leave like ten marks."

* * *

During English…

Kakashi handed out their recent English test back to them after marking it. He looked thoroughly disappointed.

"I am very upset with your tenses," Kakashi said, shaking his head.

Neji jolted up from his sleeping position, "ten- ses?"

"Yes Neji," Kakashi seemed to have heard him, "your ten- ses," he turned to face the class, "so want you guys to go back home and write a ten thousand word essay on how tenses should be used, and do your corrections in green, copy each question ten times and hand it in by tomorrow, ten sharp."

* * *

And Mathematics was the worst…

Kurenai was writing a question on the board an explaining to the class, how to go about solving equations.

"So all you have to do is to bring over this 10, so that all the unknowns are on the other side and solve this side and you get 10. Then go on to solve the other side and you get 10x," Kurenai wrote, "so if 10x is equalivalent to 10, what is x? Naruto?"

"Ten?"

"No," Kurenai rubbed her temples, "10 divided by 10 is?"

"Ten?"

"Ok, pay attention Naruto, what is ten over ten?"

"Ten."

"Are you trying to kill me?"

"No, I said my answer was ten."

"It's one Naruto," Neji interrupted, "the answer is one."

"Since you're so smart Neji," Kurenai handed him the marked, "answer that question."

Neji sighed, "question ten?"

Kurenai nodded.

He didn't know what's worst, doing question ten or have question ten's answer be 'coincidentally' ten to the power of ten?

* * *

He didn't listen when Fumiko showed them the foot drills, because what she kept saying was: "10 sets of 10 to the right, pivot, then 10 sets of 10 to the left, pivot, remember to swing your arms, not to high, at about 10 degrees or so. Get it?"

So he decided to confide in Sai, the only one he dared to talk to. Cause he knew Sai wasn't the type who would rub into the issue and give stupid advice.

"… and I see the number ten EVERYWHERE!" Neji complained, "it's killing me, tearing me into bits and eating me from the inside."

Sai laughed, "now I really think that you are cursed," Sai stated, "cause what do you know? Tenten said the exact same thing about you."

"What?"

"Ino told me," Sai said, "you know how we don't really listen in class."

"What the fuck is wrong with me today?" Neji screamed, "this feels like a horribly written chapter of a fanfiction!"

"You read fanfiction?"

"Maybe…"

There was an awkward silence.

"Just, just think of a solution," Neji said, "to rid me of this curse, cause normally your ideas seem to work."

Sai thought for a moment, stroking his chin and nodding to himself. He tapped his fingers onto his cheek and looked at the ceiling of the toilet.

"Cut the act, Sai," Neji smacked his arm.

"Kiss her."

"What the fuck?" Neji almost flew backwards, "have you permanently lost all your brain cells? Why the fuck should I kiss her?"

"Because…" Sai said, "you said my ideas always seems to work."

Neji wanted to argue back, but he didn't have a good reason to, "give me a rational reason."

Sai sighed, "well, for starters, a kiss can change a lot of things, turn it good, turn it bad, either way, but it always changes something."

"Example?"

"Lets see," Sai thought for a while, "you know how Sleeping Beauty was awakened by the prince's kiss, right? And how Snow White was revived by her prince's kiss too. And the little mermaid, she had to get her true love's first kiss to gain back her voice. The stories always involve 'a true loves first kiss' to require a problem to be resolved."

"I said something rational," Neji enforced, "not something that came out of someone's imagination."

"A kiss can kill you too," Sai said, "poison Ivy did that to-"

"Sai," Neji interrupted him, "I want to tell you that this, what I'm experiencing now, is not a story, it feels like one, but sadly it is not. So please stop this stupidity and please, please seriously help me out."

Sai stood up, "I draw the future and listen to the past, as for the present, the most I can help is through advice, if you're not taking me seriously, then I shan't waste my time. We have an exhibition coming up and Konan would be angry if I can't contribute at all."

Neji was silent as Sai walked toward the exit of the toilet, but before he could leave, Neji stopped him.

"You sure about this?" Neji asked before Sai could leave.

Sai looked back and smiled his calming smile, "God damn it, just kiss the girl."

Alright, he might kiss her.

* * *

"Shika- kun!" was what Temari could hear from a mile away and coming closer.

She was walking to the school gate with the single intention of waiting for Shikamaru, but apparently, he was waiting for her. She quickened her pace as Shikamaru was frantically beckoning her over.

"What?" she asked when she met him, "you're worried she would bother you?"

"More like follow us," Shikamaru said opening the door for Temari, "get in."

Temari obeyed and slid into the slick limousine, followed by Shikamaru.

"Ok," he told the butler, "you know to where."

Temari looked through the back window and watched as the girl's figure became smaller and smaller as they drove further and further away.

"I kind of pity her," Temari said, once she could no longer see the girl, "we know that she's like following you, but we chose to ignore her."

"Don't pity her," Shikamaru said, "and it wasn't us who ignored her, it is only me."

Temari kept quiet.

"She stalks me," Shikamaru said softly, "everywhere I go, she follows, she knows everything about me when I know nothing about her. Normally I wouldn't care about such things, but… I don't know, her whole demeanor is frightening."

"You know what?" Temari said, "this is the first time you're so honest to me, thank you."

"I know," Shikamaru agreed, "it scares me too."

"We'll just focus on grabbing good DVDs and coming out of the whole sale alive," Temari smiled, "right?"

"_Alive_?" Shikamaru repeated, "why did I ever agree to this?"

"Let's just say," Temari hesitated for a while, "I have grown to become one of your best friends."

"Those were the first words that came out nicely from you mouth," Shikamaru grinned, "troublesome."

* * *

The place was packed when they got there, everyone was pushing anyone just to get to their favourite DVD rack. Shikamaru and Temari had managed to cover the horror, fantasy, romance, adventure and inspirational movie racks.

"We're skipping the next one," Temari said as they sqeezed their way to the next rack containing a different genre of movies, "I don't think any of us would like this one."

"This is possibly the first time I am hardworking enough to push past so many people, troublesome," Shikamaru said, "what is the next one anyway?"

"Old movies," Temari replied, "as in those mega old ones, like those they show on the Turner Classic Movies Channel. It'll bore anyone, especially you, to hell."

They managed to squeeze past to the Old Movies rack and wandered around the aisle, it was practically empty.

"You're right," Shikamaru said looking around, "it'll bore anyone."

"But not everyone," Temari said and pointed to the rack next to theirs, "look who decided to drop by."

Shikamaru looked towards the direction Temari pointed to and true enough someone was there,

behind the rack,

watching them.

"Fuck," Shikamaru almost jumped, "it's her, it's Shiho!"

"Shiho?" Temari asked, "oh… the stalker girl?"

Shikamaru ignored whatever Temari had just said, "stop following me, Shiho, this has got to stop."

"Is it wrong to be a little obsessed?" She asked.

"You're crazy," Temari muttered, "we can report you."

"If you do," Shiho said looking at a shiny object, "then I'll have to resort to desperate measures."

Then she flashed out a knife, "like killing."

Shikamaru held Temari by her arm and started pulling her away, "we have to get out of here."

They left in the crowd, and slowly, Shiho's insane face disappeared behind them. The two of them made their way to the cashier and Shikamaru tossed out a fifty- dollar bill from his pocket, "keep the change," he said and they ran out of the store into the limousine.

"This can't be happening," Temari said once they were far from the store, "I mean, one stalker after another, what kind out luck do we have?"

"A bad one," Shikamaru joked.

Temari looked at him, astonished, "my life is in danger because of some insane fangirl of yours, and you're making jokes at this point of time. This… this… is like some rip off movie, the characters are going into one trauma after another."

"Move to my house," Shikamaru said, "the security there is tight, I can ensure you nothing unauthorized can enter."

Temari scoffed, "now I'm starting to think that this is some elaborate plan to get me to come live with you, did you pay her to act all insane? She's a really good actress, she scared the shit out of me."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, "you're thinking too much."

"I can take perfectly good care of myself," Temari said stubbornly, "I don't need your help."

"Then suit yourself," Shikamaru said, "don't blame me if you find yourself dead the next morning," he paused, "you can't actually, cause you're dead."

They were quiet.

"I hate you," Temari said, "cause now I have no choice but to move in."

* * *

They doorbell rang when they were eating their dinner, Ino went to get it since she was the closest to the door.

"Yes?" She opened to the door, to find a shocking revelation, "Neji? Oh my god, what are you doing here?"

"Yes," Ino thought, "he is finally going to ask me out, after such a freaking long time, yes! Haha, plan 'make Uchiha Sasuke come down to his knees' is commencing!"

Or maybe not.

"Um…" Neji had to cover the first step, "I want to see…"

"Do you want to come in?" Ino asked.

"NO!" Neji almost yelled in her face, "I mean, I just need to see someone."

He didn't want to, because, what if he goes inside and chances upon more things that remind him of that horrible number; ten? He would be entering the territory of ten and what if she had her whole room decorated in ones and zeros! It would kill someone who took signs seriously like him.

"Ok," Ino said, "who do you need to see."

He didn't know why she was raising her eyebrows up and down and up and brow, but what the heck, at least she wasn't doing it ten times. Or was she?

"I need to see Tenten," Neji said.

Ino eyebrows stopped their twitching, "_Tenten_?"

She said as if she didn't know anyone called Tenten.

"Are you sure?" Ino asked, "you're calling _Tenten_, _my friend_."

Neji nodded, "yes, I'm sure."

Ino eyed him suspiciously, "Tenten," she called.

Tenten appeared from the dinning room, dressed in her nightie.

"What the hell?" Tenten said when she saw Neji, "did you come here to express your intense hatred for me?"

"No," Neji said uneasily, "what I'm about to do is going to permanently damage you and me, but I have to do this cause… I need to."

He couldn't tell her that he was haunted by the number ten.

"Are you going to show me a magic trick or something?" Tenten was at the doorstep already.

Neji shook his head.

"Cause I really need to…" Tenten's voice was blurred by another empowering voice in his head- Sai's.

"God Damn it," Sai's voice echoed in his head, "just kiss the girl."

Neji inhailed deeply, this was going to take alot of willpower.

"… the girls are probably waiting for me," Tenten continued talking as if Neji was still listening, "the food is getting cold, so I need to-"

She was cut off.

By a kiss on her lips.

Yes,

He kissed her,

on her lips.

He had pulled her by the collar of her nightie and caught her lips before the chance went away. He held her close as he feel her soft, damp lips collide with his, pale, cold ones.

His touch was ice cold, but what she felt inside was burning hot, flaming, it was numbing her mind, body and soul. She couldn't move, partially because of his grasp and her shock.

Neji's hand was tracing her neckline, feeling her collar bone under her skin and proceed to cupping her jaw bones and feeling her warm, fiery cheeks in his palm.

Tenten found her hands at his shoulders, she allowed them to go down to his chest and feel the hard muscles beneath the soft fabric of his shirt. She followed it's contour and pressed herself against it.

After a few seconds went by, Neji pulled away. It was more then what he had originally needed. Tenten backed away and scowled at him.

"Why the fuck did you do that?" She demanded, "that was… god, you're annoying."

She watched him take two dices from his pocket and tossed them to the ground. She watched them rolling around in circles and finally come to a stop.

"Two and four," Neji read out the numbers on the dice, "six. Thank god it worked."

Tenten signed, "now you're being really stupid."

Neji stood up and faced her, "thank you."

She crossed her hands, "I don't know what I did, but, you're welcome?"

He smiled and walk away, leaving Tenten behind with a memory of a kiss.

* * *

A/N: So you must be wondering, why did Neji take the whole 'I see 10 everywhere' thing so seriously, well I guess it's because he takes signs seriously and hence, they have a bigger impact on him than on anyone else. So here was chapter ten. Hope you enjoyed.

Remember to review.


	11. Episode Eleven: Things Change

A/N: This chapter has been edited! It is readable and understandable now!  
Thank you for the reviews. Appreciate the effort.

Disclaimer: do not own Naruto.

* * *

That night Tenten couldn't sleep. She kept replaying the scene over and over and over again in her mind. The other's didn't know that happened and they never will, she didn't want them to make a huge fuss over it, plus she knew that Ino might sort of like Neji.

She was confused, "why the hell did he kiss me?" She frowned, "and what was rolling the dice all about?"

She rolled to the other side to face the wall, the stale, dull, dirty wall, "and I thought I liked Pein…" She clenched her fist and gritted her teeth, "and then Neji has to come making my life even harder. Dilemma, dilemma."

She looked around the room. Hinata had fallen asleep while drawing for the art exhibition, Ino had fallen asleep while making the final plans for the Homecoming dance, Sakura had fallen asleep while finishing up her trig revision and Temari, well she always falls asleep in the living room watching movies.

Tenten smiled at herself, "sometimes," she thought, "it's great to have friends who are always there for you."

That night, Tenten fell asleep and had a dream pertaining a round forest clearing, waist- high wheat fields and the two of them running around it.

"Hyuga Neji," she muttered in her sleep.

* * *

"SASUKE- KUN!" A crowd of girls cheered, "SAI- KUN! NEJI- KUN! SHINO- KUN! PLEASE TAKE ME TO THE HOMECOMING DANCE!"

The four boys shuddered at the huge crowd of girls charging for them, "we seriously need body guards."

Another limousine pulled up in front of the school, Shikamaru stepped out.

"THERE'S SHIKAMARU- KUN!" One of the girls from the chess club shouted.

All the girls in the top class from every level charged towards the wealthy genius, "SHIKAMARU- KUN, PLEASE TAKE ME TO THE HOMECOMING DANCE!"

"They came to school so early just to wait for me?" Shikamaru muttered, "what a drag, I hate fangirls."

Their next instinct: Run.

Soon, Shikamaru caught up with the four brothers, they seem pretty surprised that Nara Shikamaru was running.

"There's nothing more scary than a stampede of fangirls," Neji yelled.

Sasuke looked back at the crazy mob of girls chasing after them, "SASUKE- KUN! SAI- KUN! NEJI- KUN! SHINO- KUN! SHIKAMARU- KUN!"

"How do you even ask a girl out to one of these dances?" Sasuke asked.

They ran around the corner into the teacher's carpack and before them was Anko, sitting peaceful on one of the benches, eating her fourth stick of Dangos.

"Save us," Shino begged her, "those crazy girls…"

Anko got up and walked towards the direction Shino pointed to. A group of fangirls turned around the corner and stopped dead on their tracks when they saw Anko.

"Run!" one the girls in the front said, "Mitarashi Anko is here, she might murder us!"

Anko snickered, "yeah run, who knows what I might do to those perfect little faces of yours."

The whole group ran off.

Well that was easy.

But few remained.

"Hey, who do you think you are?"

Anko turned around to find one red headed pointing at her, "well let me guess, I was sure I'm Mitarashi Anko, am I not?"

"Hey Karin leave them alone," Ino came around the corner, "we saw so many girls running away, so we decided to check it out. So it was you, eh Anko?"

Temari took a step back went she saw that amongst the girls that remain was Shiho.

"So she's a hardcore Shikamaru fangirl," she thought, "that should explain her behavior."

When Tenten saw Neji, she cringed and felt all disgusted, "I can't believe I am a… a… _fangirl_!"

"So you're playing tough now, Pig?" Karin smirked, "well have you got a date for the homecoming dance?"

Ino felt like sinking into the ground, "I bet there is a long line of guys begging to bring Karin to the dance even if she got rejected by the four brothers," Ino thought, "and now that I think of it… I have no one."

"I… I…" Ino stammered, "I…"

"Hey Karin," Sai said calmly, everyone looked at him, "she does, if she'd let me bring her."

Karin stumbled back, "what? Sa… Sai- Kun, you're bringing this Pig to the dance?"

Sai smiled, "pigs are cute."

Both Karin and Ino fainted. No one caught Karin and she fell face flat on the ground. Whereas, Ino had her friends there to catch her when she fell.

"I seriously don't understand what's the big deal," Sakura said, helping Ino up, "they're just guys."

Ino looked as if she was drunk, Sakura and Tenten held her by the arms and tried to drag her to the school nurse, Hinata and Temari followed.

"Oh… my… fucking shit," Ino murmured, "Sai asked me out!"

She giggled as she watched Sai smile and wave goodbye to her. She blushed.

"Oh my god," Ino squealed, "he's so cute!"

"See you Ino," Sai waved at her.

* * *

"OH MY GOD," they heard Ino scream, "SAI'S SO CUTE!"

Sai looked at Sasuke and smiled, "and that's how you ask a girl out. You know the dance is tomorrow, you guys should at least try to get a date."

Anko looked at them, "do you guys even need to try? You can just pick anyone from the lot."

"It's not that easy, I'm not like Sai, who doesn't mind a crazy fan girl screaming into his ear," Sasuke said, "I want a quiet one, who couldn't care less about how I look, but still acknowledge my existence."

Karin got up.

"I'm not picking just any girl from the lot," Sai said, "I'm picking one I actually like."

Karin fainted, again.

They started walking back to class, all six of them.

Then Shikamaru realized that Shiho was still there, he took this chance to show that he wasn't going to go to the dance with her even if it was the end of the world.

"Hey guys," Shikamaru said, "I'm going to the dance with Temari."

They all stopped, "so it's true?" Neji asked, "that the two of you are going out?"

There was the rustle of dried leaves and Shiho was gone.

"No," Shikamaru said, "I was just joking."

* * *

There was a knock on the door.

Kakashi stood up from his desk and walked over to it, "Shikamaru, what are you doing here?"

Shikamaru sighed, "can I go back to your class?"

Kakashi thought for a while, "why? Could it be? You miss _someone_?"

Shikamaru's eyebrows twitched, "what are you talking about… I see her everyday after school… how could I miss Temari?"

Kakashi grinned evily, "ah so you do, I didn't even say that I was referring to Temari… you said it yourself, looks like our little genius made a mistake…"

"No," Shikamaru said, "I wanted to change classes cause there's this girls that's been following me around and she kind of threatened Temari."

"Threatened?" Kakashi asked, "what kind of threat?"

Shikamaru looked at Kakashi with a hint of seriousness in his eyes, "a death threat."

* * *

"Do you really want to die?" Shiho barged into the classroom with a Katana in her hands, "do you really want to be killed, by me?"

She charged towards Temari with the Katana straight out aiming for her. Temari got up from her seat and back up to the wall.

"What the fuck?" She muttered, "you're insane."

The Katana was aimed for her waist, but Temari shifted to the side. Shiho pulled back and aimed for her again. Temari kept moving and Shiho kept missing.

Kiba and Lee backed away. Hinata, Ino and Tenten were shouting for Shiho to stop. Sakura had ran out of the classroom to get a teacher.

Although the Katana was made out off bamboo slats, it was strong enough to internally injure anyone if not careful.

Shiho had Temari cornered at the front of the classroom, "_sayonara, kon ama_ (good bye you bitch)!"

"_Kichigai_ (you're crazy)!" Temari said.

"Die," Shiho pulled back the Katana and aimed it straight for Temari.

Temari closed her eyes and hoped that it was all just a horrible dream.

"Clack!"

It was the sound of a fallen bamboo stick.

Temari opened her eyes to find Shiho surrounded by Gaara and Kankuro. She was unconscious, as Gaara had his middle and index finger against her throat and Kakanku had his middle and index finger on Shiho's upper arm.

"Don't mess," Gaara whispered into Shiho's ears, "with our _sister_."

Temari's eyes widened, "_sister_? What is he talking about?" She thought.

"We'll bring her to the councillor," Kankuro said dragging Shiho's lifeless body on the floor, "mean while, be careful, _onii- chan_ (elder sister) ."

She watched as Gaara and Kankuro effortlessly pulled Shiho away. Partially recovering from the shock of what Shiho did and from the shock of what Gaara and Kankuro said.

Sakura must have got Kakashi, as she heard him greet Gaara and Kankuro along the hallway and thank them for their evasiveness.

Sakura rushed into the class and the rest of the girls came to her.

"What happened?" Hinata asked, "why did that girl attack you all of a sudden?"

She looked at the door way and there stood Shikamaru, disgusted with himself, "maybe saying that I was going with Temari wasn't such a good idea after all. What kind of genius am I?"

"What did you tell her?" Temari walked towards him, "what did you say that made her so fucking angry?"

"I said that I was going to the dance with you," Shikamaru said, "I know I was a bad idea."

"A bad idea?" Temari repeated, "what were you thinking? You know that she hates me, but you still had to agitate her?"

"What are you guys talking about?" Sakura asked.

"It's nothing," Temari said.

There was a moment of silence.

"Hey Shikamaru," Temari said, he looked at her, "I think we shouldn't be friends."

"Hey Temari," Shikamaru tried to stop whatever thought that was running through her mind, "I can-"

"Enough Shikamaru," Temari said monotonously, "I am tired from trying to hide from that girl. I want to sleep at night with the peace of mind that no one would try to kill me in my sleep. So I guess it is better for us to keep our distance until that she devil is satisfied."

"And when will that be?" Shikamaru asked.

Temari opened her mouth to answer but she was interrupted by the four brothers and Anko.

"What happened here?" Neji asked, "I saw a girl being pulled away by Kakashi sen- sei."

He noticed Shikamaru, "hey talking to your date?" He grinned.

Shikamaru smiled at him, "I was just leaving."

Temari walked back to her seat and placed her head on the table.

"Did I say something wrong?" Neji asked.

"Damn right you did," Tenten punched his arm, "idiot."

Sakura remembered those thick glasses and those two pig tails, "oh my god."

She turned to Sasuke, he seemed to get what she had meant. She watched him mouth the words, 'stalker'.

"Urghhh!" Naruto stomped into the class, "NOO!"

He went to Temari's table and shook it, "how could you not be friends with Shikamaru anymore?"

"Calm down Naruto," Kiba said, "sorry Temari, he's just going crazy about the fanfic he read just now."

Temari shook her head, "no, but they were true."

* * *

"I'm sorry principal Tsunade," Caroline apologized for the last time, "I didn't known how she could have gotten in and stole the Katana. The lock on the door is automated, it locks itself immediately went to door meets the door frame, you have to enter a code to go in, I am the only student who knows the code."

"Then how could she have gotten in?" Tsunade asked, "she couldn't have magically appeared inside."

Caroline thought about it for a while, "I don't know."

Kakashi entered the office, "she's in the sick bay, I have just scheduled for a councillor to meet her every Monday, Wednesday and Friday after school."

Tsunade nodded, "Kakashi, you auditioned this girl for the ingenuity class?"

Kakashi nodded.

"What does she do?" Tsunade asked, "what is she good at?"

Kakashi thought for a while, trying to remember what that girl said, "oh yes, code breaking."

Asuma came into the office, "yes did you call for me Principal?"

Tsunade beckoned for Asuma to sit down, "one of the students in your form class has attempted murder on another student, she goes by the name of Shiho, do you know her?"

Asuma thought for a while, "yes, very vividly, she keeps harassing my star student, Nara Shikamaru. He seems to be bothered by it."

Tsunade nodded, "go on."

"And she is very good at her mathematics," Asuma added, "oh yes, and her English teacher did remark that she had incredible writing skills, she can conjure up brilliant stories in less than a minute."

* * *

Temari stood in front of Naruto, "was it the same person you told us about the other time?"

Naruto nodded, "yes it is her."

Sakura and Sasuke came up to them.

"We are positively sure that she is the girl the one that hired Matsuri to do all her dirty jobs," Sakura said, "Sasuke and I caught her red handed."

"TEMARI!" Kakashi called from the doorway, "the Principal wants to see you."

Temari sighed and went to the Principal's office with Kakashi.

"Come in," Tsunade said.

Kakashi and Temari entered the Principal's office. There was Asuma sen- sei, Caroline the captain of the fencing team and Principal Tsunade.

"Sit down Temari," Tsunade said, "do you know why I called you here?"

Temari nodded.

"Ok then," Tsunade laid back on her chair, "we can skip that, so tell me, do you know why Shiho tried to murder you with a Katana?"

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Shikamaru entered, he saw Temari but he tried not to react too much, "yes Principal Tsunade, you called for me?"

"Good timing Shikamaru," Tsunade gestured for him to sit down next to Temari, "I was just asking Temari if she knew the reason behind Shiho's behavior," she looked at Temari, "do you?"

"I guess she didn't like the fact that I was hanging around Shikamaru a little too much," Temari muttered.

"And what about you?" Tsunade asked Shikamaru, "what do you think?"

Shikamaru looked at Temari before answering, "I think she's jealous, Principal."

Temari looked at Shikamaru.

"I think that she was jealous cause Temari is the only female friend I hang out with," Shikamaru said, "she's jealous became she thinks that we're dating."

Tsunade nodded, "ok, what makes her _think_ that you two are going out?"

"Because we spend most of the after school hours together," Shikamaru muttered.

"And," Temari added, "we have a pet."

"And you don't expect people to think you guys are going out?" Tsunade scoffed, "if I were them I would think the same way, aren't you guys a little too comfortable with each other?"

They were quiet.

"But their friends Principal," Kakashi said, "friends _are_ supposed to be comfortable with each other."

Tsunade sighed, "if that's how every fangirl would react to some girl hanging with their idol, then I have no choice."

She took a mic out from her drawer and switched on a button, "attention all students," she said through the PA system.

At that moment, each and every student in the school stopped what they were doing. They knew it was something important, if it wasn't, the Principal would have sent one of the teachers to do the job for her.

"This is you Principal," she said, "I would like the following students to report to the principal's office immediately. From the freshman level: Uchiha Sasuke, Sai, Hyuga Neji, Aburame Shino. From the Senoir level: Pein, Itachi, Kisame, Zetsu, Tobi, Kakuzu, Hidan, Deidara and Sasori. Please report immediately."

When Tsunade switched off the button, she took a sip of sake and waited for the students to come.

"What do you plan to do Principal?" Asuma asked.

"You're calling all the boys holding a high status in the school," Kakashi said, "I'm I right?"

Tsunade nodded. Sasuke, Sai, Neji and Shino entered. After a while Pein, Itachi, Kisame, Zetsu, Tobi, Kakuzu, Hidan, Deidara and Sasori came in.

"You called for us?" Pein said when the Senoirs entered.

"Yes," Tsunade said, "I want to impose a new rule for all the male students in this room. Due to unexpected events, I have decided to forbid any of you students to be involved in a romantic relationship until you have graduated, understand?"

"What?" Pein muttered, "we can't be involved in a romantic relationship until we _graduate_?"

"Yes Pein," Tsunade said, "I know you're in overly good terms with Konan, I've also heard about your _private life_, but I have decided that this is the best thing to do at the moment. So Pein you have to break off from Konan, so does Itachi, Zetsu, Tobi, Deidara and Sasori, you all have to break up with them."

"That's not fair, un" Deidara argued, "what if I say no, un?"

Tsunade stood up, "first suspension, second I'll inform your parents and my last and final resort I'll have to expel you."

She turned to the four brothers, "since you guys are not romantically involved, you might as well leave."

"So what about the homecoming dance?" Itachi asked, "I've already promised Yui that I'd bring her."

"And after the dance, there will be no more you and Yui," Tsunade said.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND," Itachi shouted, "YUI, SHE'S TERMINALLY ILL AND SHE… SHE MIGHT… DIE SOON."

"You can still be her friend-" Tsunade said.

"NO," Itachi punched his fist on Tsunade's table, "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO LOSE SOMEONE YOU LOVE, YOU NEVER LOST ANYONE, YOU'RE JUST STUCK HERE DRINK YOUR FREAKING SAKE AND MAKING UP STUPID RULES FOR US TO FOLLOW, I DON'T GIVE A DAMN TO ANY OF YOU SHIT, I WOULD NEVER-"

"Uchiha Itachi," Tsunade cut him off, "get out of here."

Pein eyed Tsunade with his rippling red eyes, "lets go."

The whole of the Akatsuki left the room, leaving the four brothers, Shikamaru and Temari behind.

Once their footsteps could no longer be heard, Tsunade heaved a sigh of relief, "it could have gotten worse. I might consider expelling some of them."

"Why?" Sai asked, "they didn't do anything wrong."

"They did," Tsunade said, "I suspect Pein, Konan and Itachi for under aged sex, the whole group for the procession of illegal drugs and… and…"

"And?" Shikamaru asked.

"Attempt at murder."

* * *

"_We have arranged for your parents to send body guards for you, just in case Shiho come threatening or harming you again."_

Just like she said, when Shikamaru came back to his class, there at his desk waited two big, strong men in a black suit and a tie. Shino seemed freaked out by this.

When he took his seat next to Shino, he immediately sank his head into his arms to prevent Shino from asking any questions pertaining the two thugs behind them.

* * *

When Temari and the four brothers went back to their class, everyone started asking them about what the principal wanted to see them for.

"Hey Temari," Sakura asked, "what did the principal want?"

"Me. Nara. Stay away. Four Brothers. Akatsuki. No girlfriends. Sakura. Shut. Up," Temari said.

Sakura seemed a little hurt by Temari's comment. She pouted and her eyes watered. Temari noticed this and groaned.

"What?" She snapped.

"I just wanted to tell you that the Codebreaker is the Stalker and is also Shiho," Sakura whimpered, "and I wanted to ask if you were going to the dance tomorrow."

Temari looked at Sakura as if she was the stupidest thing, "do I look like I'd go to a dance? Do I look like a cheerful, 'omg I love dances' kind of girl?"

"No…" Sakura replied slowly, "you don't need to be so harsh on me."

Temari ran her fingers through her hair and sighed, "I'm sorry, okay. I didn't mean for my anger to go that far. It's just that… I don't know what I did to deserve misery, I mean, now it all seems like my fault that the whole Akatsuki are sent out of the office weeping and mourning their fate. In a way, I kind of hate myself."

Sakura laid back on her seat and laughed, "well you're not the only one. When we finally found out the one person who had been casually ruining our lives for a reason I don't know," she paused, "I don't even know what are we going to do with the knowledge. It's like all our hardwork we placed into find this one person is all thrown out the window. But you know what Temari? One door closes and another one opens."

Temari looked up at Sakura, "what do you mean?"

"I'm going to the dance tomorrow," Sakura said with much confidence, "the biggest nerd you'll ever know is going to the dance tomorrow with a partner or not, cause she knows that that is the one place she would not find the person who casually ruined their lives, cause she is stuck in that sick hospital room downtown while, Haruno Sakura is having fun. That's why I'm must go tomorrow."

Temari laughed, "you and your psycho theories."

"Well all thanks to my 'pyscho theories' I got the highest for the recent Biology test," Sakura gleamed, "so are you still going?"

Temari thought for a while, "well it depends, but if you follow me to the toilet, I will."

"Random."

* * *

They didn't talk to each other, it was too plainly awkward. Tenten was desperately trying to think of a topic, a sensible topic of discussion, so she would converse well with Neji. Apparently, the two of them had really nothing much in common.

"Are you going to the dance tomorrow?" Neji asked.

Tenten quietly squealed inside, "is he going to ask me out? Is he? Is he?" She silently thought.

"Depends," Tenten muttered, "no one has asked me out yet."

"I wonder why," Neji added sarcastically.

She smacked his arm, "what did you say?"

Neji rubbed his arm, "black looks good on you."

Tenten snorted, "you've never seen me in black before, how'd you know?"

"Imagination," Neji pointed to his head, "something that you, unfortunately, do not possess."

"Then you could have imagined kissing me instead of actually doing it," Tenten said, "I was traumatized for the whole night."

"I have my personal reasons," Neji blushing.

"And what might that be?"

"It's personal, I can't tell."

"Whatever," Tenten went back to doing her trig homework.

She felt Neji's gaze still on her, a chill went down her spine. She decided to ignore it, but she couldn't, she was staring too hard. She tried to sink herself deeper into the homework.

"Ok, Cosine of an angle is Adjacent side over the…" she slowly inched her headed to his side, "what the hell?" She snapped, "is there like something you want to ask me?"

Cause frankly speaking, she was rather disappointed that he didn't ask her to the dance, she could almost imagine Karin's face.

"Errr…" Neji trailed off.

He heard Sai laughing away with his little itsy bitsy date. It was like Sai was mocking him in the most unconventional way, pathetic.

"Dickhead," he muttered.

"What?" Tenten said, "what did you just say?"

Neji sighed, "oh for heaven's sake, will you go to the dance with me?"

* * *

Sai shrugged and faced Sasuke's direction, "pay up," he mouthed, "he asked a girl out to the dance."

Sasuke walked over to Sai's desk and fished out a bill for Sai, "here."

Sai smiled and took the note from Sasuke, "good to do business with you."

But before Sai could keep the note, Sasuke held out his hand.

Sai gave him the what- the- hell expression.

"You forgot the second part of the bet?" Sasuke asked, "she agreed, I won, we're even."

"Fuck."

* * *

Temari left the toilet leaving Sakura inside because Sakura had some 'business' to do.

"_Really?" Temari shouted in the empty toilet, "you sure?"_

"_Yup," Sakura said, "just tell Kakashi sen- sei that I'm here, in a way in which he'll understand, but don't plainly say what I'm doing."_

_Temari scoffed, "I'm not an idiot Sakura, I know."_

Now, Sakura regretted insisting that Temari left without her, the toilet was quiet and dim and spooky.

Just then someone entered, there was a loud thud of the door knocking on to the ceramic wall and heavy footsteps thumping towards what sounded like the sinks.

"I am so pissed," an irritated voice said, "I mean, I was suppose to be the one Sai- kun asked out to the dance."

"But I thought you liked Sasuke- Kun more?" another voice added, "calm down."

There was deep, heavy breathing, "I totally need to touch up my make- up. My blusher is running off."

It was followed by several ransacking through a make- up pouch.

"I didn't bring mine," the other voice said, "why don't I run back to class and grab yours for you?"

"Hurry," the voice was now sobbing, "I don't want Panda eyes."

Sakura flushed the toilet and unlocked the door. She had walked through what she would do when she walked out of the toilet stall. Wash her hands, dry them up and get out of here.

"Wash. Dry. Run," she repeated before stepping out.

She recognized that blaring red hair in front of the mirror and the large, black eyes staring at her from the reflection.

"Wash. Dry. Run. Sakura," she mentally told herself.

Karin was still looking at her.

Sakura walked towards the sink, but before she could even reach it, Karin turned around and stopped her.

"I remember you," Karin said, "yeah, I do, I saw you before."

"Er…," Sakura really didn't know what to say to someone Ino totally despised, "hi?"

"Please don't hit me cause I'm Ino's friend," Sakura quietly prayed in her heart, "please don't hit me."

"You're that girl from the video," Karin said.

Sakura's hands dropped to her sides, "what?"

"The one that…" Karin's face turned into a sheer shade of red, "kissed _my_ Sasuke."

Sakura really wanted to laugh out loud.

Really.

Now she clearly understood why Ino felt so much remorse for her.

"It was mouth to mouth," she decided to go against her cravings, "he would never be your Sasuke if I hadn't helped him."

She didn't mean to sound like she was bragging, or like she was claiming all credit to Sasuke's survival.

Karin smirked, "he wasn't even on the brink of death dearie, just a shortage of air."

Now she was furious.

* * *

"Sakura's taking awfully long," Kakashi said looking at his watch, "Sasuke, go check up on her."

Sasuke sat up from his sleeping position, "what? I'm a guy."

"All the more you should go," Kakashi said, "she'll feel insecure and hurry up."

"But why me?" Sasuke argued.

"Cause you're the nearest to the door."

* * *

He knocked the door, he'd be lucky if there wasn't a stampede of girls inside, preparing to rush up upon him when the door swings open.

"Hello? Sakura?" He called.

Nobody answered.

"Hello Sa-" he was cut off by an excessively loud yelling that pierced his ears.

"JUST A SHORTAGE OF AIR?" He could recognize Sakura's voice, "JUST A SHORTAGE OF AIR? HEY MISSY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT A SHORTAGE OF AIR CAN DO TO YOU IF YOU'RE LEFT THERE FOR TOO LONG? IT CAN KILL YOU! FUCKING, LITERALLY KILL YOU, BITCH. THANK GOD, HE SURVIVED OKAY? CAUSE WITH MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE I COULDN'T HAVE HELPED ALOT WITH THE AIR FLOW, AND THANK GOD HE MADE IT. SASUKE MIGHT HAVE DIED IF IT WERE YOU ON THE SCENE. I DON'T FEEL HONOURED THAT I TOUCHED SASUKE'S DAMN FUCKING LIPS WITH MINE, I FEEL HONOURED THAT I SAVED HIS LIFE AND THAT HE'LL LIVE HIS LONG AND HAPPY LIFE BECAUSE I TRIED. PLEASE DO NOT SAY A SHORTAGE OF AIR IS NOTHING, SASUKE COULD HAVE DIED."

"I don't really care about whatever shit you just told me," Sasuke heard Karin mutter, "anyone who touched Sasuke is my enemy and all my enemies deserved to be punished."

There was a 'plak' sound, the sound that sounded like two chunks of meat colliding with one another, it sounded like slapping.

Then there was a pause, which was followed by quick footsteps, coming nearer and nearer and…

The squeak of the hinges, the cutting of air, the sniffles of a cry, the flash of movement and the warmth of a girl.

"Oh my," Sakura looked up at the person she accidentally knocked into, "Sasuke?" Her mind raced, "wh… what… are you doing here?"

"Kakashi sen- sei told me to come check up on you," he said, "are… are you _crying_?"

Sakura quickly wiped off her tears and sniff the liquid dripping from her nose, "no, I'm not. I… I just her a flu, that's all," she was still wiping her tears away, disrupting the straight tear tracks on her face, "let… lets get back to class, before Kar-, before Kakashi scolds us for being late."

He looked at her, not with sympathy but with the look of uncertainty scribbled all over it, "what?"

She tried to laugh, tried to.

"Strange, isn't it?" She was trying to lead him away from the toilet, she didn't want any more slapping and bitching to take place, "he's always late and he's probably going lecture us for the same reason."

Sasuke stopped, Sakura followed him. They heard a clacking sound coming for the toilet, Karin was coming out.

"Sasuke," Sakura said with much urgency, "we should go, Kakashi might sc-"

He grabbed her by the wrist before she could leave, she turned to look at him and their eyes were in complete parallelism "why are you so afraid of her?"

She gasped. It had suddenly occurred to her that he might have heard the conversation between Karin and herself. But she wondered how long could he have been standing, outside the toilet door, listening to their bitching and arguing.

"I…" she opened her mouth to reply, hopefully she could construct a completely rational reason behind everything, "I…"

"SASUKE- KUN!" Karin's voice rang in the air, she ran over to him with her arms wide open, "WHAT A-," she realized Sakura was there, "hey there Sakura!" She smiled.

Two faced freak.

"Tell your friend Ino that she did a really good job with the decorations," Karin smiled, "I mean, when we saw the lay out, it was marvelous, but when it was actually set up, I couldn't take my eyes off it, she's really talented," she sighed, "too bad she is taken, it would be great for someone equally great to ask her out, but… alas, all my model club girls are all taken up…"

Sakura raised an eyebrow, "what the hell is she trying to say? What has Ino's availability got to do with her? And how in the world is Ino's greatness linked to the model club girls?" Sakura pondered.

"…well, except for me," Karin said, seductively eyeing Sasuke.

Sasuke kept a straight face and nodded, "in that case… would you like to go to the dance with me?"

Karin's eyes widened, her face grew into an unimaginable shade, it almost blended with her hair, "YES, YES, YES, OH FUCKING YES! OH, TAKE ME AWAY GOD, SWEEP ME OFF ME FEET AND TAKE ME AWAY, I THINK I'M IN HEAVEN!"

* * *

Ino: _Are you free after school? _

Temari: _Er… yes, why? _

Ino: _Great, we're gonna go on a SHOPPING SPREE!_

Temari passed the note to Tenten. She read it and scribbled her reply.

Tenten: _For?_

Ino wanted to smack her face and slap it all red, seriously, is Tenten a guy disguised as a girl?

Ino: _Prom! You faggot!_

Tenten: _Freak, we have to buy a dress? I thought this was, like a free and easy kind of thing. _

Temari: -_- _I don't know what to say…_

Ino: _Tell Sakura this. Quick._

Temari: _Are you freaking blind? You can see she's not at her desk now!_

Ino: _Then tell Hinata_.

Temari passed the message to Hinata.

Hinata: _But I have no one to go with. _

Temari: _Me too, Ino used force_.

Hinata: _LOL. Ok, I'll tag along._

* * *

Sasuke laughed.

A genuine laugh.

Sakura had never heard it before, she never expected someone like Uchiha Sasuke to have such a laugh. It rang in her ears, echoing itself, replaying over and over again.

Then again, Uchiha Sasuke had changed. He was friendlier and kinder towards the people he was comfortable with. He wasn't a loner like before and he actually talks to people other than his brothers. But yet, even though he had changed, the grace of the air around him stayed the same. He was serious and calm, he thought before he leapt, he remained as cool and slick as ever. In a way, Uchiha Sasuke was different in a similar kind of way.

"I wasn't talking to you," Sasuke said calmly, carefully enough not to seriously puncture the height of Karin's excitement, "I was talking to Sakura."

He looked down at her and grinned, "like to go to the dance with me?"

She smiled at him, he wasn't all that bad like she thought he was before.

Yes, Uchiha Sasuke had changed, in a different yet similar kind of way.

* * *

"Temari," Genma Sen-sei called, "come over."

They were all supposed to research on a new topic they were going to film about, _The Greatest Thing Ever_. Whoa, big shocker there isn't it? After _The Worst Thing Ever_, who'd ever expect the following topic to be _The Greatest Thing Ever_?

"Yeah," Temari asked praying it wasn't about the project.

"It's about the project," Genma said flipping through a few papers, "you handed yours in late. Very late."

Temari cursed herself, "I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

Normally it would, but that was just to keep the teacher entertained.

Genma nodded, "ok then, I watched it and yours is very unlike the others."

"How so?"

"Well," Genma flexed his fingers, "you're writing about a living thing you hate. Normally, my students write about non- living things, like make- up, milk, phobias blah blah blah, yours on the other hand it about a human."

"And your concern?"

"Wouldn't it hurt the person's feelings," Genma asked softly, making it sound serious, "what if it were you and some-"

Temari didn't want to hear the 'what if it was you, how would you feel?' crap, "Nara doesn't mind."

"So you hate him so much that you were able to stand the immense annoyance to film this motion picture?" Genma asked.

That was a good question. She didn't know how to answer.

At the beginning, yes it was. In the middle, not really. In the end…

_Hey Shikamaru, I think we shouldn't be friends. _

She knew that she sounded as if she hated him to the bitter core, but truth be told, he was a great friend. One that annoyed you in a tolerable way. One that actually had the time to spare you and one that wasn't afraid to show that he cared. She wasn't saying that Sakura, Ino, Tenten and Hinata are all senseless friends. But whenever she was with them, she felt as if they were put first.

When she was with Sakura, she would never have the chance to talk about movies and filming and photography. Sakura was always jabbering about school work and academics and universities, she hardly had the time for dribble drabble.

When she was with Ino, all that Ino can talk about was clothes and boys and money and beauty and stuff that she wasn't really interested in. They would go to the cinema together and watch a pretty cool movie, but she would never really catch the essence of it.

When she was with Tenten, they wouldn't do much since they were mostly together since Tenten was born, there was nothing new to do together. But if they were together, Tenten would bring them to a place she thinks that Temari would like too. Like the arcade, or a football match, but truth is, Temari was a totally different person then what Tenten thought she was. Although they were sisters (even though she might have doubts on their blood relations) they were never quite the same.

And when she was with Hinata, she could talk all she wanted, because Hinata always had her mouth shut, but when she actually looks at Hinata, observe how she was reacting to Temari's each and every statement, she would realize that Hinata wasn't listening. She would either be staring at a cute dress in the display window or staring at this painting in the art gallery, but never did Hinata listen.

So when she was with Shikamaru, she felt like she was the one put first, as in he would let her do the stuff she wanted and enjoy even though he didn't really appreciate it. He listens to what she has to say, she didn't know it if was out of boredom or if he was afraid she might strangle him, but he listened and that was what friends do for each other. She knew that it was hard enough for him to have a friend like her, so bothersome and not to forget… troublesome. He had left a fragment of himself etched in her memory and forever and always it will never disappear. Sometimes she would think that it was kind of cool to have a genius be your friend, to have someone serious people look up to. And no matter how famous he was, or how rich he got, he would always, always, have that time of the day to go bother her. Truth be told, she kind of liked it.

At least that was what she knew.

"Yes… No… Er… maybe…I guess…" she sighed, she didn't want to admit it, "I… I… don't know."

Genma sat there, nodding and shifting his eyes everywhere, "alright, alright," he bent down and pulled open a drawer, he took out a cassette and held it out for Temari, "why don't you figure it out?"

"Figure it out?" She repeated.

"Yes," Genma passed her the cassette, "continue the project and by the end of it, tell me whether hate him to the extent that you were able to stand the immense annoyance to film this motion picture."

"Why?" she received the cassette from him, "why continue?"

"Maybe, just maybe you might be able to kill two birds with one stone."

* * *

She had tried on 15 different dresses and still counting… They were bored, they had randomly picked the simplest looking dress they could find and afford, but Ino has been at it for three hours and they don't think they can stand it any longer.

"Ino," Sakura moaned, "I think you should go with the black dress, it suits you well."

Ino frowned," I don't want to enter to school hall looking like a crow."

"Why would you look like a crow?" Tenten asked.

"Because the theme is Secret Garden and the only thing black in the garden are crows," Ino pouted, "so I'm not going as one."

They sighed and gazed at the pile of dresses Ino had rejected.

"I admire your persistence," Temari said sarcastically, "it's very inspiring."

"You mean tiring," Sakura added.

Ino rolled her eyes and when to the rack to pick up another dress, "if you want me to hurry up, why don't you guys at least try helping, instead of sitting down there complaining."

They sighed loudly and stood up, dragging their feet and their dresses along with them. They each went to different areas in the store to maximize efficiency.

"I think I like this," a voice came from a corner, "it's nice."

"Yeah," another voice said, "suits your hair, don't you think Caroline?"

Temari went round the corner and immediately recognize the blaring green in front of her, apparently, it's owner did too.

"Hey," the one she remembered to be named Aki said, "you're that girl from the toilet, I remember you," she looked around as if she was searching for something, "your boyfriend's not here?"

"Boyfriend?" she said it like it was a word totally new to her.

"That Shikamaru kid," the other girl she recognized said, "the one that-"

"Let me get this straight woman," Temari interrupted, "I am NOT his girlfriend, I will NEVER be his girlfriend, I don't have ANYTHING to do with him, so PLEASE STOP ASSOCIATING THE TWO OF US LIKE WE'RE A PACKAGE!"

The five girls started laughing. She didn't know why it was so funny but she just stood there looking like a fool.

"It's alright," Caroline said in between laughs, "couples fight a lot, not need to feel stressed out. If you wait long enough, he'll apologize, that's for sure."

"I-" she stopped, "why do I even bother."

One of the girls handed Temari a dress, "here, this suits you better."

It was a nice purple dress that was slightly gathered at one waist and had a pink ribbon tied to it. Wasn't very revealing, it was spaghetti striped and yes, it did fit her well.

"Thanks…" she was waiting for the girls name.

"Yui, Angela Yui," she said.

"Oh, I'm Shijiko Fumiko," te other girl she recognized said, "and I guess you already know she's Aki, she has a long surname, you wouldn't want to hear it."

"Oh fuck up," Aki smacked Fumiko, "it's Amaterasu Ni Aki. She's Kurosaki Milla and the other one is Tshushi Caroline."

"I'm Temari," she offered, "and my friends are here, but they're like searching for this dress for Ino. You guys better get out of here, seeing all the dresses you've picked are brilliantly stunning, she might steal them."

The other girls grinned and walked to the cashier.

"Well," Aki tuned back before leaving, "see you around Temari."

So the girls had chosen their dresses and bought their shoes. They had a manicure and bought pretty much all the make- up they could afford.

It was only around 11pm that the girls arrived home, worn and restless. There wasn't school tomorrow to allow them to prepare for homecoming.

But who knew that homecoming was going to spark off an event so life changing and maybe, life threatening, that they would never be able to go by a day without thinking about it.

* * *

"DAMN IT," Neji had cut his finger while trying to open a can of baked beans, "FUCK!"

The drops of blood trickled down his finger and dripped on to the floor. He washed off his wound to prevent any infection before attending to his mess.

Apparently, the blood had conveniently dripped on to an English worksheet he left lying there. He could always reprint it, but he stared closely at the paper and noticed something an ordinary person wouldn't.

Coincidentally, the blood drops had dripped upon a few alphabets on the worksheet.

"B… R…U…" he slowly read out the alphabets, "T… A… L… I… .T… Y…"

It ended.

"Brutality."

* * *

A/N: You got to be curious what kind of dress each one of them is going to wear, I mean, if you're not, there must be something wrong- or maybe it's just me. Oh, I don't know, understanding the way the human mind works is just too taxing for me to comprehend. But anyways, I finished chapter 11 and I'm happy. Long chapter with tons of nonsense. So… yes, nothing else…

Next Episode: Secret Garden

It's the day of the homecoming dance, happy and jolly and filled with love. But what happens when the whole thing suddenly turns into a remake of 'Prom Night'? What horrors this bring? Find out.

REVIEW! OR YOU'LL BE SORRY.


	12. Episode Twelve: Secret Garden

A/N: IT HAS BEEN EDITTED AGAIN TO FACILITATE READING! THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!

Disclaimer: HAHA, YOU KNOW THE DRILL, I DO NOT OWN (FILL IN THE BLANK).

If you didn't guess it, I guess you should, if you haven't, you must be new to fanfiction. Haha, answer is (FILL IN THE BLANK).

* * *

She clicked onto the link Naruto had sent her. It brought her to a page in fanfiction under a certain story called _The High School Chronicles_. When she last checked it yesterday, there were eleven chapters, now there, were twelve. She didn't get it, Shiho normally updated it only at the end of the day, unless she was some psychic who foretells the bleak future, but that simply wasn't possible, who could predict the future?

_Chapter Twelve_

_He found his true love at the center of the ballroom, draped in maroon silken and satin fabric, lined with gold thread and decorated with rustic beads. Her hair was up in a French knot and she wore her red contacts today._

"_You look beautiful," he said in a low tone, "I can't believe I was blinded, I can't believe I was so deceived not to see the beauty inside of you, you are truly amazing, Shiho."_

Temari scoffed, so did Sakura who had joined her while she wasn't noticing.

"This bitch is really full of herself isn't she," Sakura said, "I wonder whose that lucky guy."

"You don't need to wonder," Temari said pointing out the next few dialogues.

"_Shush," she said, "we won't want her to interfere with our feelings for each other, that vicious woman, it is easy to be tricked by her dirty blond hair and her oceanous blue eyes, but," she held his hands, "our love shall prevail even the most horrible creature and I doubt the siren can no longer interfere with the thoughts of a man who has found himself. That desperate, bitter, callous witch can't separate us no more."_

"She's talking about me Temari," Ino who had just read the dialogue said, "she's not talking about you."

Temari spun her roller chair around to face Ino, "are you even close to being a _dirty_ blond?"

"It's a punctuation error, Temari," Sakura said, "it's suppose to be dirty _comma_ blond not dirty blond."

"I'm not born yesterday," Temari said, "she can write whatever she wants, I don't care."

She stood up to leave the room.

"But what if it corrupts your image again," Sakura said before Temari had the chance to leave, "what if this image can never be built back again?"

Temari sighed.

"She's declaring war, Temari," Ino said, "she is trying to take something you have away from you, do you want that?"

"I just don't know why she's doing this," Temari muttered, "I DON'T KNOW WHY MUST SHE MAKE MY LIFE SO DAMN FUCKING HARD. I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, IT JUST DID AND IF SHE HAS A PROBLEM WITH IT…" she inhaled a hell lot of air, "THEN FACE IT LIKE A FUCKING ADULT!"

Sakura walked towards her and held her shoulder, "she isn't going to be there to make that," she pointed to the Mac book, "happen, so suck it up and face it like a fucking adult."

"Bitch," Temari pushed Sakura away, "I don't know why you're still my best friend."

Sakura smiled, "I just am."

* * *

"So what did you bring for us today?" Shikamaru said, when he heard Chouji enter.

"I don't know, I'm no good at choosing movies, normally Temari does it, but since _someone_ messed up, I guess we have to bare watching 12 hours worth of shit."

"It can't be that bad," Shikamaru said, receiving the ten DVDs Chouji loaned and scanning through the covers.

"It has became so much like a routine," Chouji said as Shikamaru scanned through the DVDs, "Temari brings over the good movies, I bring over the good food, you bring over, not literally, the good theater, then we'll have a twelve hour marathon of non- stop movie, snacks and totally slacking."

He passed the movies to the butler, "was that supposed to make me feel guilty?"

"Did it work?"

"No."

"Damn it."

"And half of those movies you loaned are movies Temari specifically warned me not to watch, she said they were fatal to your brain cells, like a full session of brain drain," Shikamaru said, "well done, you've hit the jackpot, we're doomed! Troublesome."

Chouji stood up, "after being friends with you for who- knows- how- long, I have never seen you so paranoid before, so apologize, say you're sorry, so she would come over and show us some kick ass movies."

"No, it's too troublesome."

"Sometimes I wonder if you say 'troublesome' to avoid something you can't do," Chouji took out his phone, "but whatever, if you're not calling to apologize, I guess it's up to me. But I seriously doubt that I would give as much impact as you would."

He dialed at the numbers and listen patiently to the dial tone, when she picked up, "hello?"

"Chouji?" he heard Temari's voice, "why are did you call me?"

Shikamaru straightened up when he faintly heard her voice from the speaker.

"I just wanted to say sorry," Chouji told her, "I mean I didn't mean for you to feel insecure about your live, I just-"

"Chouji," Temari cut him short, "you're not the one at fault here, you do not need to be forgiven."

"Would it be better if Shikamaru said sorry?" Chouji asked.

Shikamaru shot Chouji a death stare.

"He doesn't need to say sorry," Temari said, "it's alright, I'm not sad or anything, I'm totally fine and HEY-"

"Hello is this Shikamaru?" he heard Ino's voice, she didn't wait for a reply, "YOU FUCKING BASTARD! YOU DO YOU HAVE TO GO AND MAKE TEMARI'S LIFE SO BLOODY MISERABLE? IS IT FUN? IS IT? WELL LET ME TELL YOU, THAT SHIHO FREAK IS MAKING TEMARI SEEM LIKE A WITCH, A HORRIBLE TERRIBLE WITCH, NOT LIKE THE ONES YOU SEE IN HARRY POTTER, SHE'S MAKING TEMARI A COMPLETE BITCH, WHORE, SLUT WHATEVER YOU CALL IT. SO YOU BETTER, YOU MUST-"

The line died.

"What must I do?" Shikamaru who had heard whatever Ino had said laid back on the soft cushioned seat of the theater and started thinking.

Chouji's phone rang.

"Hello?" Chouji answered it.

"AS I WAS SAYING," he heard Ino's voice again, "YOU MUST COME TO THE DANCE TONIGHT AND TAKE HER HAND AND SWEEP HER OFF HER FEET AND HOLD HER NICE AND TIGHT AND KISS HER, KISS HER LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW, NICE AND SLOW AND LONG. GET IT? OK. YOU GET IT. BYE. NICE WORKING WITH YOU FRIEND IN- LAW."

The line died, again.

"You heard that?" Chouji said, turning to face Shikamaru, "you heard it?"

"Virtually impossible," Shikamaru said, "it is troublesome, so forget it."

"What?" Chouji snapped, "there you go again. Did you say it because you don't dare to or you don't want to?"

"What's the difference?" Shikamaru said, "I end up not doing it anyways."

"There is a difference," Chouji said curtly, "_don't dare_ means you want to, but you can't. Whereas _don't want_ means you have to but you can't. I thought you were a genius."

Shikamaru kept quiet.

Chouji got irritated, "so which is it? _don't dare_ or _don't want_?"

"Don't want to," he muttered.

Chouji shook he head and left the theater.

That was the first time Shikamaru had ever lied to Chouji.

* * *

"What the fuck did you think you were doing?" Temari said to Ino, "now he's going to think I'm some sort of demanding freak."

"And how does that make you feel?" Ino asked, "better? Worse?"

"So bad, I can't describe it," Temari said.

Ino smiled, "great, then you'll have to thank me for what I did."

"And why is that?"

"Because you so obviously like him," Ino said dancing around a spot, "remember our bet Temari, the one we did on the first day of school."

Temari cringed at the thought.

"When you're sure about you're feelings," Ino said bouncing up and down, "I'll watch you throw them out."

Temari scoofed, like it was never going to happen and stood up to calm the jumpy girl down.

"Oh we'll see who gets the last laugh," Ino said, "we better prepare for the dance, I don't want to keep my lovely date waiting for me."

"Oh he'll wait a million years if you're eventually going to be in his arms," Temari said dramatically.

"And so will a certain genius I know," with that she closed the toilet door to get changed.

* * *

They were in the living room putting on their make- up on the couch.

Ino was done with hers and was help the other girls do up their hair.

Ino looked lovely in her golden gown. It had a low dropping bronze sequin top, like a halter neck and a thin brownish belt that goes around her waist, the skirt part was in pale brown that puffed oh so slight but gives of a princess- like air around it. She had her hair in long free curls and golden bronze make up.

Sakura had a light pink tube dress that is saturated with intricate silver, white beadings at the top which slowly disperses and lessens towards the mid drift. There is a dark, lilac pinkish ribbon that goes round her ribs just under her bust. The make she wore is of shades of pale pink. Her pink hair was did up in a high bun with her fringe parted more to the right than to the left.

Hinata was wearing a dark blue satin gown that hung on one shoulder. It contrasted with her pale skin almost too perfectly and gently touched the ground at a nice height. She had her waist long blue- black colored hair in a loose French plait and her bangs swept to one side. Her make- up was in shades of lilac and violet to accompany her natural soft violet eyes.

Temari was a simple indigo strapped dress that clung nicely to her hourglass figure and touched her knees It had a collection at the right side of her waist and a shallow pink ribbon that went around it. Her dirty blond, shoulder lenght hair was straightened, side parted to the left and pinned up by a bobby pin. She went for grayish, purplish make- up.

Tenten's dress was also a tube that was silken white and had pink flowers congesting the hip area, dispersing and wore away toward the top and the bottom of the dress. She let loose her long brown hair which fell all the way to her waist and, courtesy of Ino, it was effectively curled in a way that didn't look too burnt. She wore on pale pink make- up and blended it with her skin.

And they were all set.

It was almost seven and Sakura, Ino and Tenten's dates were about to come. At the same time? Or one after another? They didn't know.

Temari and Hinata agreed to wait until the girls who actually had dates had completely cleared the building before they got on their way to the homecoming dance.

Sai came first in his black Lamborghini Murciélago, the door slid upwards and Ino excitedly squealed went she first saw it.

He helped her into the freaking beautiful car and the others watched as the car downs automatically went down and voomed off like Batman's batmobile.

Next was Sasuke who arrived two minutes after Sai left, he came in a equally cool car, a black Mercedes McLaren also with doors that go up!

"This is SO cool," Sakura muttered hyperactively, with a tint of insanity, "I feel ashamed of that jeep we have there."

And yes she got in and the car voomed off again like the batmobile, talk about De Ja Vu.

"I hope Neji's car is equally cool," Tenten whispered to Hinata, "something like a BMW or maybe a Volvo or maybe…"

Temari nudged Tenten, "you may want to rethink your options, apparently Neji wasn't going for the cool and spicy but the slick and classy."

Tenten stepped out of the door and there it was, a black Rolls Royce Phantom in their driveway. Tonight their neighbors were going to change their opinion of the 5 girls that live down the road.

And just like De Ja Vu, the black Rolls Royce Phantom road away into the night like Batman's batmobile.

The two date- less girls sighed and approached their worn out jeep in the garage.

Hinata quietly cursed herself for being so lucky that Temari was not asked to the dance by Shikamaru, she knew he had a limousine, she just didn't want to know that brand, it might scare her.

"What kind of friend I'm I?" Hinata thought to herself, "cheering at my friend's demise? Curse you Hyuga Hinata."

Temari drove, she didn't want her continuous cursing bring the end of the two of them, her case wasn't drinking and driving, but rather thinking and driving. The irony is scary.

* * *

The dance wasn't too bad, it wasn't too good either. You could still kind of tell that behind all those signages, banners and decorations, the dull, gloomy walls of the school gym remained intact. There were tables, many round wooden table that were supposed to give of a very earth feel. The walls were covered with fake grape vines that stretched all the way to the ceiling, makes people wonder how Ino did that. There, on the stage, was two roman pillars and in between two really antique looking chairs, possibly, should be, for the homecoming king and queen. The food served was Italian, very organic and the drink was either non- alcoholic sparkling wine or guava fruit punch. More roman pillars were used to line the unsightly walls and cover up all the graffiti. Ino and her model club girls did quite an impressive job, considering it was their first time at it. But the setting was kind of misleading, it made people rethink about the theme, Secret Garden or Ancient Rome?

When he got there, girls, boys and teachers were milling all over the place, at the entrance, at the dance floor, at the tables and buffet counter, it was living hell, everything was everywhere in a chaotic and joyful way, everyone seem to think this huge gathering with many, many people dance with most likely an opposite sex was immensely entertaining, he begged to differ.

This was giving him a migraine. A bad one.

He walked through the many people, some expressed shock that he was attending the dance. He was shock too, the chances he'd ever attend a dance- one in a million, so happen that this dance _had_ to be that _one_.

He found an empty seat at one of the tables and casually plopped himself down. He honestly didn't bother to look at the other occupants around the table, he'd regret that.

"Nara Shikamaru," a familiar voice sounded, "so you decided to initiate the plan?"

He turned to face Yamanaka Ino, the blond she- devil in his ex- class.

"That's way too trou-" he wanted to say his original catchphrase which had turning into a bad excuse for something he didn't want, or didn't dare do, in this case,

didn't dare.

"I can't find her," he lied.

Ino smirked, "so you do want to do it."

Sai came with twp glasses of sparkling wine and gave one to Ino, "I saw Temari, at the buffet counter with Hinata."

Shikamaru so badly want to punch that smiling devil.

"Thank you," he managed to force out, he stood up and walked away.

"Hey," Ino stopped him, "it's the other side."

"Does she seriously want me to do this?" he thought, sighing he went to the direction Ino had pointed out, "thanks Ino, thank you so much for ruining my life."

Just when life couldn't get any worse, he spotted Temari with Hinata near the buffet counter, drinking punch, and guess what?

He thought she was beautiful.

She looked softer but not any less welcoming, but somehow or rather, he was drawn to that fact. She was her old self in a dress and although it seemed pretty weird it was sensible and flowing in a horrifically weird way.

* * *

A limousine Ferrari stopped just outside the school gates the longitudinal doors slid upwards. Five people were seated inside and each of them got out one by one. It was like a set of a premier, there were many students gathered at the front just waiting for them to arrive. To match the atmosphere, there even was a red carpet that these people were supposed to walk along. They were like superstars. Just 'like' superstars, they are not superstars, the true superstars were the ones arriving in the limousine after this one.

The first one out was Tamanaki Milla. She wore a tube, tiered, dark purple dress that sunk in along the valley of her cleavage. It matched with her mahogany brown hair and her peach colored skin. Her dark make- up made her very enigmatic.

The next one out was Tshushi Caroline, she donned on a white silk dress with a low V –neckline and straps that were tied into ribbons on her shoulders. The back was nearly bare with a white ribbon rested on the small of her back. The milky brown hair was up in a loose French plait and was complemented by her light and toned make- up.

The third on out of the limousine was Amaterasu Ni Aki. She had on a white laced dress with a tight neckline, it almost made it seem like she was wearing a turtle neck. It didn't have any sleeves and clung on to her body contours. The celadon green hair was up in a simple quaff with her fringe swept to a side and the rest of her hair spraying all over her back. Her make- up was in shades of beige.

The fourth one was Shijiko Fumiko. Her black was a black and white tube, knee- length dress. It had a red ribbon around her waist which went well with her loose brownish red hair and her maroon colored make- up.

The last and most 'beautiful' one was Angela Yui. She arrived at the scene in a golden dress that was very low cut, there were many gold ribbons sewed on from under her bust all the way to her hips, it was tied into a ribbon at the front. The bottom of the dress is patterned with layers of golden fabric that went up in the front and slowly slants down toward the sides. Her blond hair was curled up and bounced with every step she took.

As the five walked into the school compounds, students were screaming and screaming for no particular reason. They were awaiting the arrival of the main attraction, the Akatsuki.

Speak of the devil, a Chrysler 300 Limousine stopped out front and the doors pulled open. The crowd went crazy, particularly because the most popular, the most good- looking people were wearing their best look.

The nine men of the Akatsuki came out, Deidara, Sasori, Kisame, Itachi, Tobi, Zetsu, Hidan, Kakuzu and Pein. They were all donned in a traditional black tuxedo and had their hair in their normal but equally attractive way.

The last one out was Konan. She made the five girls that came out just now seem like a bunch of posers.

Although she had no jewelry on and her hairstyle was exactly the same, except for the fact that her white paper rose was replaced with a black one, she looked overly stunning. Over the top wonderful. Her pale skin was compatible with her black Audrey Hepburn dress and the long black gloves. She didn't have any colorful make- up on just her thick layer of eyeliner above her eyelids and her mascara.

They didn't stand there and smile and wave at their adoring admirers, they walked pass all of them without even glancing around to acknowledge their presence. Even so, the people still loved them.

* * *

"Oh my god," Shikamaru said with sheer shock, "I didn't know you were coming."

Temari rolled her eyes, "you were born with intelligence, acting is something you need to work on."

He gave up pretending and took a glass of punch, "you look… nice."

She snorted, "I didn't choose this."

"Even so," he was desperately trying to strike a conversation, "you look nice."

Hinata raised a brow, "_nice_? Just _nice_? Apparently someone needs to work on their slowing decreasing vocab."

"Then what is he suppose to say," Temari asked, "'oh hi Temari gosh you're ozzing with beauty that is beyond compare, you look so fucking seductive, just looking at you makes my orgasms tingle' is that it?"

Shikamaru spat the punch that he had just drank onto the floor, with the mention of the word '_orgasms_'. The people around backed away in time before punch could be the root of chaos.

Hinata laughed at both Shikamaru and Temari.

"What?" Temari said looking at the freaking shocked Shikamaru, "it was meant to be a joke."

It was funny, he had to admit, but the sheer freakiness of the whole joke was it's accuracy. Accuracy and punch, not a good combination.

"It was so funny," Shikamaru lied again, "I had to spit out the drink to laugh."

Temari made a face, "keep working on it, your acting skills has slightly improved since the last lie, which was like… er… two minutes ago?"

"Trying to be your friend is so troublesome," Shikamaru said leaning against the table.

"Let's rephrase it this way," Temari said, "being my friend is troublesome. How's that? Well to me it makes damn good sense."

With that she walked away avoiding the dancing crowd and out of the school's gym.

Hinata was left there with Shikamaru.

"Basically," Hinata said, "your main motive is to be more than friends with her."

He opened his mouth the deny it, but it would be troublesome, and after all, Temari said that he was a bad liar.

"… but then you realize that you can't unless you have that mutual trust which can only be build through friendship," Hinata said, "so I propose you run after her, because being the movie junkie she is, she'd probably expects you to do whatever boys do most in those horrifying mushy, gushy movies: chase after angry girls. So in order for that friendship to happen, you have to make her happy."

The migraine was back.

He stoned there for the next few seconds.

"You won't be very effective at catching up to her if you don't begin now," Hinata shook him out of his trance.

He sort of did a slight jump, like when you snap out of hypnotism. He paused and rethink his next few hundred movements before breaking into a fast, hasty run.

"One day, I should be a motivator," she thought to herself.

He ran into a few people on the way.

First was the she- devil and her date Sai. They were slow dancing. Ino in his arms and her hands over his shoulder. He had his around her waist. He was whispering something into her ear which made her blush and giggle.

Second was Naruto, Kiba and Lee. Apparently, Lee was moaning over the sight of Sasuke and Sakura. Kiba was getting high on the little sachets of sugar. Naruto was bringing him the little sachets of sugar.

Third was Sasuke and Sakura, they were pretty much doing the same thing as what Sai and Ino were doing- dancing. But he had forgotten to add that there were many angry and jealous fangirls surrounding them.

Fourth would be Neji and Tenten. He knew for a fact that Tenten didn't like dancing, courtesy of Temari, but he didn't know she would be the kind to wear a dress, especially a long one made of silk. Anyways, the two of them were eating, yes, a very boring activity. Apparently, Shino was there too.

Lastly, it was two girls he recognized and their dates, which he knew were members of the Akatsuki.

"Hey Shikamaru!" the green haired called.

The other one he recognized looked over to his direction.

He approached the door and in other words, approached them.

"I think you made Temari a little too angry," Fumiko said, "she was stomping out."

The red headed guy next to her looked at him, "hi. I'm Sasori."

"Shikamaru," he said.

"Do you like her dress?" Aki asked him, "do you?"

Shikamaru remembered Temari saying that she wasn't the one who picked it, "yes, very much, she looked really pretty."

Aki grinned, "my friend Yui picked it for her," she turned to the white faced guy next to her, "wasn't that girl I said 'hi' to just now pretty, Zetsu?"

He was really tall.

"Yes, she is very pretty," Zetsu smiled.

Aki gleamed, "even his alter ego agrees. I won't hold you up any longer, I know you're in the midst of a romantic confession. She seemed pretty pissed with you yesterday."

"She was upset," the girl Aki claimed to be Yui said, "she was grief- strickened."

The male behind her laughed, "don't trust her Shikamaru, she can exaggerate a little sometimes. The name's Itachi."

"You remind me alot about my friend Sasuke," Shikamaru commented before running off, "you look like a future version."

Yui smacked Itachi by the arm once Shikamaru was out of the gym, "did you really have to say that? He was on the verge of spilling his feelings. You spoil all the fun," she pouted.

Itachi laughed, "there you go again, stop doing that, you make me feel vulnerable."

"You are," Yui whispered into his ear, "only to me."

He pulled her into a soft, deep kiss. It sent millions of Itachi fangirls to their graves.

"You look so beautiful tonight," he said in between kisses.

* * *

The hallway was empty, too empty. Like a death scene from some movie.

He was sure she went this way, his instincts told him so.

* * *

She had learnt how to unpick a lock with the use of a bobby pin in several movies. She heard a 'click', she was successful.

The door pushed open like it was inviting her in. She felt the cool breeze of the air- conditioned room coming upon her.

There was something she need to do, something, that wasn't suppose to be done.

She didn't switch on any lights, she didn't want to catch any attention. Carefully, she made her way around the computer lab and found the computer that she had saved her video project file in.

She switched on the computer and waited, waited oh- so patiently for the hundred year old computer to load up and process all the information.

It was taking far too long, the eerie silence of the room, the feeling of being alone and someone watching in the shadows.

"Shiho can't be here," Temari thought to herself, "she can't… she wouldn't…"

The computer screen turned bright blue; she needed to enter a password.

"Temari," she muttered as she typed in the password, "stupid password, anyone can break into my account."

She clicked onto 'Documents" and chose the file called "The Worst Thing Ever" and opened it.

There was her storyboard, her future plans for the continuation of the video. She reluctantly clicked it and viewed it's contents.

* * *

There was an open door, Temari should be inside.

He quickened his pace and flung open the door, "Temari?"

* * *

"Temari?" a voice called.

She jumped a little and five nanoseconds later she realized someone had just called her, but who?

She didn't want to turn around and find… find…

"She can't be here," she thought, "she's not going to… going to… "

* * *

It was the janitors closet and there was no one in it, someone left the door open.

He continued looking for her and did so quickly. The deeper he went, the darker it got and the further the school gym got.

Frankly speaking, he was worried.

* * *

"You may think I'm insane," the person continued, "but I'm not. I just want to have what I want."

She didn't turn around, she didn't want to look at her death, "what do you what?"

"Nara Shikamaru," she hissed directly next to Temari's ear, "is that so hard?"

Temari wanted to punch that hag. Her eyes flickered onto the screen.

"_Maybe, just maybe you might be able to kill two birds with one stone_," Genma's voice echoed in her head.

_So when she was with Shikamaru, she felt like she was the one put first, as in he would let her do the stuff she wanted and enjoyed even though he didn't really appreciate it. He listens to what she has to say, she didn't know it if was out of boredom or if he was afraid she might strangle him, but he listened and that was what friends do for each other. She knew that it was hard enough for him to have a friend like her, so bothersome and not to forget… troublesome. He had left a fragment of himself etched in her memory and forever and always it will never disappear. Sometimes she would think that it was kind of cool to have a genius be your friend, to have someone serious people look up to. And no matter how famous he was, or how rich he got, he would always, always, have that time of the day to go bother her. Truth be told, she kind of liked it. _

No, she loved it. That's why she wasn't going to let some overly obsessed fangirl ruin her life for her, if she wanted that, she'd do it herself. And she did. She did just that by trying to forget those little fragments of Shikamaru he had left etched in her mind. It was her mistake, but she was given a chance to make things right.

"Yes," she said curtly, "it is extremely hard."

* * *

There door to the computer lab was wide open.

"The computer lab and Temari," Shikamaru thought, "that makes sense."

He ran towards it in hopes of finding something that he had reluctantly lost.

* * *

"What did you say?" Shiho's question seethed through her teeth, "hard? What's so hard?"

Temari spun her chair around, "you asked the question, you tell me what's hard?"

Shiho's glasses reflected the light from the computer screen, "do you know how much I hate counseling?"

"No," Temari said, "but what I do know is that you'd have more if you touch me, maroon silken and satin fabric, lined with gold thread and decorated with rustic beads, hair up in a French knot and red contacts," Temari sighed, "how imaginative can you get?"

Shiho gave Temari a tight slap.

"You deserve that bitch," Shiho muttered, "stepping away from Shikamaru isn't working Temari, he still wants you. What do you propose?"

Temari glared at Shiho, her cheek flaming red, "let me put it in simple terms, the more you try to get him, the closer I stick to him. If you threaten me again, I'll stick to him like a leech, then I'll move into his house, then I'll be next to him every second of his life, he'll see me every day, every hour, every minute, every second until he gets sick of me. I hate you that much to go to that extent and," her voice softened, "and I care about him enough to go to that extent."

"I HATE YOU," Shiho screamed into her face.

"I know," Temari remained totally calm, "I hate myself for that too."

"Temari?" A third voice joined the party.

It was a voice that belonged to a guy that always had that time of the day to go bother her, a lazy, intelligent guy that she will eventual love.

Shiho backed away and turned around, "who's that?" Her eyes searched in the darkness for a figure.

"It's Shikamaru," Temari said softly, relieved.

He could tell that Temari had somewhat forgiven him, "you know Temari, you're always so troublesome."

"NO," Shiho yelled, "NOT HER, YOU CAN'T CALL HER TROUBLESOME! CALL ME TROUBLESOME! CALL ME!"

"What the hell?" Shikamaru wanted to laugh, "like being called 'troublesome' is some glory."

"IT IS," Shiho was on her knees, "men in the Nara family call women they like 'troublesome', it's a trait."

Temari raised her brow, "I ought to be shocked, but I'm impressed, have you been stalking their family since you were born?"

"No," she shot Temari a glance, "my mother, she used to love Shikamaru's dad alot, to the extent that she evaluated his every move and came to that conclusion. Unfortunately, there wasn't a day at Shikaku called my mother 'troublesome', but it's different now, I will seek revenge for my mother."

"And here I thought that it was a personal thing," Temari said exasperated, "it's a whole family's issue!"

Shiho turned to Shikamaru, "I swear, if you call her troublesome again… I'll faint before your very eyes."

Shikamaru was taken aback, all of a sudden, the word 'troublesome' seemed to be a word only the gods used.

Temari on the other hand was suppressing a laugh, she had never in her life seen anyone so desperate before. Although she felt guilty for laughing at someone's demise, she quickly dismissed that thought for Shiho had tried to kill her before.

It was like a really dim, imaginary light bulb flashed on to of Shikamaru's head, he had a really stupid idea to counter the stupid problem.

"Er…," he said, "yeah, Temari is way too _troublesome_, the most _troublesome_ woman in the history of… me?"

She fainted.

There was a moment of silence.

"What a stupid ending to an intense sequence," Temari said stepping over the unconscious body, "but in a way, it was hilarious."

It was like they were friends all over again.

"You alright?" Shikamaru asked, doing a quick scan of her physical condition, she stared at him as he did so.

"Are you enjoying this?" She asked tapping her feet.

"What there to enjoy?" he said as he looked away.

"In a weird way, that was offending to me."

He laughed.

"Thanks," Temari said, after her cold, cold attitude, still came back to her, "for 'saving' me," she did it with the air quotes.

She started walking towards the door, Shikamaru stopped her.

"Hey," he said, "your computer work."

She glanced back at the storyboard of her video, she had painstakingly planned the whole thing out.

She stepped back towards the computer, "I don't need it anymore," she said deleting the file, "I've decided to follow the flow, go where life takes me."

"I totally don't understand what you've just said or to what extent the relevancy," he said walking out to the hallway with her, "but I do know that whatever it is, it is not as troublesome as you."

She stopped on her tracks, "speaking of troublesome. I'm going to be awefully straight forward and very blunt with this, but do you… er… how should I put this… have this _thing_ for me?"

That question sure was awkward.

"_Thing_?" he pretended not to understand, so it gave him time to think properly of his choices.

"Since you're pretend again, and obviously trying to avoid the subject… I guess not," she continued walking, "sorry for being too open."

He might as well confess, he would never, in his life have such an opportunity in which just by saying yes or no, expresses whatever he was feeling. Anyways, the truth was just near by, it wouldn't hurt, would it?

"Hey," he caught up to her and held her by the hand.

She tensed up a bit.

"I… er…" Shikamaru stuttered, "yeah I do."

She was quiet for a while.

"I do, as in like you, as in not a friend kind of like…" his mind was in a whirlwind, "like… not a platonically kind of like, no not that, but er… like I want to have sex with you kind of like."

That sounded really wrong.

Temari blushed, which was very unusual. She felt the grip of Shikamaru's hand tighten around hers.

It was a dark hallway. Just the two of them, caught in an extremely awkward situation.

He wanted to kick himself.

Literally.

"I want to have sex with you kind of like?" Shikamaru screamed at himself in his head, "what the fuck is wrong with me? What have I become?"

"Er… that… hmmm… came out really, really wrong," Shikamaru muttered, "I'm sorry. I… I just like you alot."

The he did something irrational, out of his mind, mad, psychotic, he kissed her.

He released her hand and held her elbows, pulling her closer to him until their bodies clashed upon each other. Temari was shocked beyond imagination, she couldn't move, her usual quick reflexes failed her, she was completely under his control.

He directed his face towards herself and came upon her lips, soft and gently like a deer. He didn't kiss her like he was hungry or rough, he kissed her with a lot of passion and loved that I consumes her and allowed her to fall into the same trance. She closed her eyes and allowed him, for the moment, to enjoy himself, because just at that same time she was having the time of her life.

"Shikamaru," she said pulling away, "I'm not going to have sex with you any time soon and I might not be your girlfriend after this, but I can be your friend, and when I'm mature enough to sort out my feelings and everything…"

"The offer still stands," Shikamaru said smiling, "so I'm just a friend?"

Temari smiled, "for the moment."

* * *

She had came to him yesterday, she said she needed a place to spend the night, so he allowed her to stay there with him. Now she was lying on the couch in the staff room and he was the only teacher inside. The other teacher had conveniently when to the dance and have a hell of a time. He was here, typing out his mission report when she was presumably sleeping.

He had given up on Kurenai a fucking long time ago when Anko told him about Asuma and her relationship. Against Asuma, he didn't stand a chance.

"Are you at some porn site?" Anko muttered from under the blankets, "you've been staring at that machine since I came in."

Kakashi closed the window and whirled his chair around to face her, "you woke up. And no, I wasn't at a porn site, sorry to disappoint you."

"Do you like a lot of work?" Anko asked, "cause you've been typing and typing non- stop."

Kakashi thought for a while, "what else can I do besides type and type non- stop?"

"Talk," Anko offered, "talk to me. I'm bored to shits."

Kakashi looked a little confused, "what do you want to talk about?"

Anko thought for a while, there has been something she had been meaning to ask him for a very long time, "tell me, what do you know about Shikamaru?"

It hit him like a slap, "Shikamaru? What about him?"

She was testing him, he knew that. She was suspicious about what he does.

"Anything, anything you have found out," Anko said.

"Err… It's confidential," Kakashi said.

"You've already told me so much," Anko muttered under her breath, "and the rest is confidential, face it Kakashi, you haven't figured shit yet, have you?"

Kakashi was stumped, "what do you know?"

Anko got up and slowly walked towards him, "from what I gather, the only things you're interested about is a particular someone's blood. I gave you a chance to collect your sample, but you didn't and I want to know why?"

She had figured it out, she had seen past his lies and his acting.

"You were hard to comprehend," Anko said, "but hey, I'm part genius after all."

"Look Anko I don't want to hurt you," Kakashi said, "but I can't help it that the blood sample that I am required to collect is yours, you don't know what their going to do with the blood sample I giving to them they-"

"Cloning," Anko said, "their using it to make many many clones of me."

Kakashi didn't bother to ask how she found out, "and if I don't give it to them I would lose my job, but if I give to them, I would lose something else, Anko it's really really complicated and who know what their going to do with all those clones."

"You should care more about your job," Anko said as she walked towards the exit, "you have something to work towards I have… nothing, don't care about me, really, your concern would be wasted."

She closed he door, careful not to slam it.

She went to the toilet and cried, she loved him too much. She loved him to the point where she wouldn't think herself as a human. She loved him and that created a hole in her, an entrance, a gap, a weakness, and she was never weak, but he made the impossible.

Just by seeing that calm, undaunted face made her realized that there was something worth living for. She felt dirty having those sick little dreams and kinky little fantasies of the two of them, she shouldn't, it was like using someone elses body for her own pleasure against the guys own will.

She hated herself for thinking that there might be a possibility that he might like her the way she liked him. She hated herself for knowing that he doesn't, but still remaining stubborn with her feelings. She hated herself for know that Hope was still trapped in Pandora's little box.

She hated herself.

* * *

"Hey," Yui stopped the girl before her, "aren't you Temari's friend?"

Hinata nodded, "I'm Hinata, you're Yui and Milla sama right?"

Milla smiled, "you're a nice little girl, where's your date?"

"Oh," Hinata was embarrassed, "I came here alone."

"Really?" Deidara, Milla's date intruded, "that sucks."

Milla shot him a glance like she was trying to say 'show some sympathy'.

"But…" Deidara quickly continued, "you look nice enough to get a date like right now."

"Yeah Hinata," Yui smiled, "do that, after today all the hot guys in the school are off- limit, you know."

Itachi came over to Yui, "my little princess," he stroked her cheek, "do you want to dance?"

She took his out reached hand and walked away.

"We should get dancing too Milla," Deidara said, "before they change the song into something deadly cheesy."

Milla gave Hinata a look and Hinata assured her that she'll be fine on her own. She watched as Milla and Deidara walked to the dance floor. Deidara held Milla in his arms like he was holding on to his dear life, like he really loved her in a sense that she has to be untouched by anyone else.

Hinata would like that, she would like to feel loved and belonged, she wanted it so bad that it hurts and especially since you know, somewhere out there, your parents, you birth parents are waiting for you. Hoping and praying that you come back in their arms and rejoice over your reunion.

She remembered it was hard, having no parents come to collect your report card, having no one but your friends parents to sign consent forms, having no one to scold you for obtaining horridly bad marks and even though she had no clue to where are her parents are or how they look like, she was so sure, so damn sure that they wanted to see her as badly as she wanted to see them.

And then, she would finally be able to know, to understand why they left her there in the cold, chilly night at the Haruno's door step.

In such circumstances she would cry, she would start wondering why was all this bad things happening to her. She was all alone in the miserably lonely dance, Ino and Sakura were dancing with their dates, Tenten was probably doing weird, random things with Neji and Temari was probably curled up in the warmth of Shikamaru. The people she called 'family' had left her there, all alone.

Her parents left her there.

Her friends left her there.

It was like today was officially declared 'have some fun and forget about Hinata' day.

It was mean of her to think like that, they had their own freedom and she wasn't one to argue about it.

"YUI!" someone shouted, "HI!"

Hinata looked towards the source of the voice, it was Kiba, and he was undoubtly high on… sugar?

"YUI!" he yelled again, "COME, HAHA, I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!"

He was making a scene.

Hinata knew that it was against her better judgment to run over and shut his little trap. But she did it anyways, because she liked to see how people loved each other- that was the closest she would ever get.

"Inuzuka Kiba," Hinata came over, "stop calling your senior, you're ruining her night!"

"Me ruin her night," Kiba scoffed, "she's dancing with that Itachi, now tell me whose night is ruined."

Hinata didn't understand, "what?"

"Kiba," Yui warned, "that's enough. Sit."

And just like a dog, he did so obediently and laid his head on the table.

"Hey Kiba," Naruto shook him, "hey."

Kiba laid there motionless, his eyes closed, not muttering a single word.

"Youthful Kiba," Lee patted his back, "wakie wakie!"

After several fail attempts, they gave up, he wasn't waking anytime soon.

Naruto laid back on his chair and looked at Hinata, "yo Hinata."

"Hi Naruto- kun," she smiled, "your friend Kiba sleeps like a rock."

"He's so still," Lee said looking at Kiba, a little worried.

"A little too still," Hinata said placing her finger under his nostrils, she waited for the gust of air to exit his windpipes, but it didn't.

"Kiba?" Naruto called, "hey this is fucking seriously man, wake up."

"SOMEONE CALL 911!" Hinata screamed, "CALL 911!"

Fumiko ran over, "what happened?" She asked checking Kiba's breathing status, "he's not breathing. Call 911!" She turned towards Hinata, "is he allergic to any chemical? Does he have any medical history? What did he consume?"

"No. No. Sugar and that glass of punch," Naruto pointed to the innocent glass of punch on the table.

"That's my glass," Milla said coming forward, "I left it there cause Deidara wanted to dance."

"Did you drink it?" Asuma sen- sei caming into the picture.

Milla shook her head.

Asuma looked around at all the students, "where did you get it from."

"We didn't get it," Yui stepped forward, "one waiter gave it to us."

"Waiter?" Ino said, "we didn't hire any waiters."

"Us?," Asuma ignored Ino, "as in who else?"

Yui looked at Milla, "there was Milla, Fumiko, Caroline, Aki and me."

"Did you drink it, Yui?" Kurenai asked.

"No I didn't, I dropped the glass by accident," Yui said pointing to the puddle on the floor, "but I'm not sure about the others."

"I'm fine," Fumiko said, "it smelt like strawberry, I'm allergic to strawberries so I didn't drink it."

Kurenai frantically looked around, "Caroline and Aki, where are they?"

"Caroline's here," a voice shouted, "excuse me."

Two people pushed through the crowd, one was Caroline herself and the other was Sasori.

"I didn't drink it," Caroline said, "before I could, I was told that the Shiho girl broke into the school compounds and without drinking the punch, Sasori and I went to the weaponry room to check up on the katanas."

"Someone spiked the drink," Zetsu said, coming over with Aki, "Aki and I are sensitive to such poison, she couldn't drink it because the smell was too strong."

Asuma went and smelt the drink of himself, "it doesn't have a strong smell, does it, Kurenai?"

Kurenai took the glass and sniffed it, "no it doesn't, how could it be strong."

Aki sighed, "our parents are botanists, we have been in contact with these plant originated chemicals since birth and since it's concentration is around… say… seventy percent, it has a strong smell, to us, of course."

"The drink contains a rare plant pigment that can be found very sparsely on this earth," Zetsu explained, "but this scarcity isn't to be taken for granted, a single drop of poison from this plant can kill a whole flock of sheeps. Since the concentration is the poison is around seventy percent, I doubt that boy can survive this."

"Unless," Aki started, "unless we neutralize the acid with an alkali that is equally powerful."

Asuma lit up, "where do we get those?"

Aki shook her head, "the government controls the flow of this chemical, only the hospitals are allowed to issue it to selected patients, we can only hope that they get here on time."

Kurenai took out a walkie talkie she so conveniently kept with her, "hello this is Kurenai speaking, I'm am ordering a complete shut down of all entrances and exits of the school, until further notice no on is allowed to enter or exit the school, not until further notice," she kept it away, "now, tell me, who should we suspect to be this 'waiter'?"

"Someone with high knowledge of Botany and has access to these rare plant species," Zetsu said, "and by that I had just made Aki and myself a prime suspect."

Genma who stood quietly at the side lines was orderly to bring the two teenagers to a holding facility in the school.

The rest of the students were all stuck in the school, no one was able to enter nor exit. That was a good thing, a smart plan with a flaw- we trap the murderer in the school too.

* * *

"When they catch that bastard," Deidara said on their way to the amphitheatre, "I'm going to stuff my newly invented clay explosives up his pants and watch his manhood burst into flames."

Milla laughed, "I don't think it would be that easy, he was wearing a mask when he served us, he could be anyone, he could be you."

They entered the theatre and headed for the stage, where a grand piano stood among other instruments.

"I have a recital next Monday," Milla said walking up the stage, "I need to practice."

Deidara smiled, "I know, that's why I brought this," he flashed out a canvas, "I need to complete the drawing the exhibition is… tomorrow? You're coming, am I right?"

Milla nodded, "whatever, just don't make it too obvious it's me."

"Are you afraid to show the world that you're the most beautiful girl out there?" Deidara joked, "anyways, I just realized that I had mistaken the dark blue for black, they look exactly the same. Stay here and practice whatever song, I'll dash to the art room and grad the correct tube of paint. Damn, Konan should have ordered the freshmen to tag all the paint."

"Ha. Ha. Ha," Milla laughed monotonously, "you don't even know the song I'm playing, it's called 'Her Last Breath' by yours truly, me."

Deidara walked out of the theatre with his fingers stuck into his ears, "sorry dear, I didn't catch that? What were you saying?"

He left.

* * *

A/N: READ THIS! Ok, this is like sort of a warning, to those who aren't fans of gore, I'm not. But I just want to tell you that the next few scenes might post disturbing images into your head, so beware! No rape though. Worry not.

For those gore lovers or if you're just deadly curious, please carry on reading. However, if you want skip all those jibber jabber, you can scroll down and look for this: **HERE**, clear enough? Scroll slowly then.

* * *

"_This is an ANBU cop speaking, Officer, I would like to report a murder that occurred in a nearby high school. The victim was mutilated very badly; her limbs were all chopped off, hands and the legs. No blood seem to be present… I think this is a case you should look into yourself, Officer, all I can say that there was much brutality."_

* * *

The ANBU surrounded the compounds of the amphitheatre, no one was allowed in unless he or she is authorized. There were rumors though, that a senior, the President of Band was killed brutally.

Deidara was seen escorted out of the theatre by four ANBU cops around him, he had a straight face that was expressionless and a canvas covered by a white cloth.

Students, reporters, all the same tried to approach him with numerous questions to be answered, but only the Akatsuki (with the exception of Zetsu) and the three other girls had the permission to speak to him. He was said to be the one who discovered the body.

Hinata, Sakura, Ino, Tenten and Temari all stood in the background with some of their school classmates, quietly observing the whole chaos.

Spiked drinks and now murder. Something was definitely up.

Hinata had other things on her mind, she was trying to understand Deidara's feelings and emotions. She was wondering about his odd composure when someone he had proclaimed his love to has passed on? This was a very peculiar reaction to a death of a loved one. Maybe because she was sick, Hinata had heard one of the five girls having a strange illness that might take her life.

"No, wait…" she stopped herself, "that was Yui. What exactly happened?"

* * *

The ANBU cops specializing in crime scene forensics were milling the place, busy try to find hair strands of fingerprints of DNA leftovers, so far they had come to nothing. Some of them were also examining the body for the cause of death and it has been apparent that someone had skillfully done all this and left hardly enough evidence to track him or her down.

The body was cut into seven different parts, all sprawled across the floor. The hands were the only two parts that were placed somewhere else- a top the piano keys, completely staining the white ivory keys with blood and seeping into the wood in between. The nails on the fingers had been pulled out like they where shells on a peanut, and placed on the bench in a tiny pile.

Her legs had been cut off her body and had been drained off all it's blood just like every other body part, there was no blood left. The bones of her legs had been crushed into tiny fragments, broken into little parts and grinded like it was powder.

The body was dissected into two different parts, the upper and lower.

The upper was from the ribs all the way to half the neck. There were stab marks around the ribs and mostly at the chest area and scratch marks like a cat had clawed it's claws all over it.

The lower had been brutally managed with, there was a cut in her belly button that has been ripped open forcefully, with the skin lying around that part, as if it were a mango being torn from it's flesh.

The last and most gruesome was her head. It had been chopped off like Sundays meatloaf and her eyes had been gouged out, leaving the sockets empty with maggots crawling all over. her nose had been cut in a way it seemed like a knife had casually went up her nostril and had been twisted around several times before being pulled out. Her ears were chopped off and was stuffed into her mouth which was being cut from side to side all the way to where her ear originally was. She looked like she was smiling. This gives evidence to the saying 'grinning from ear to ear'. Where as for her hair, it had been knotted into many many dead knots and there were some empty patches where hair originally was, but had been brutally pulled out.

All in all it was gory, gruesome, grotesque. No word could explain what the ANBU cops had saw.

Whatever it is, the killer has a very, very good imagination.

"Officer," one of the ANBU cops called from the piano side, "I think I found her missing organs."

Oh yes, her organs. They are missing- no wait, they _were_ missing.

He pulled out a garbage bag from the piano body and dumped it onto the floor.

"It's all in here Officer," he opening it up, "the lungs, the liver, the brain, the heart… everything."

The Officer went over to look for himself, it almost made him puke, the organs have decomposed in the damp, dark conditions of the piano body.

* * *

**HERE.**

The continuation is NOT a different scene.

* * *

"Where is the blood?" he asked, "we haven't found it yet, Officer."

He turned to the rest of the ANBU cops, "any of you guys found her blood?"

"No," one of the senior cop said, "nothing has been found, nothing that might give us any clues on the killer."

"Officer, over here," one of the ANBU forensic scientist called, "I found something carved on her arm."

The Officer read the words, "Her Last Breath. What does that mean?"

"The witness claimed that she was practicing for a piano recital," the cop said, "and the song was 'Her Last Breath'."

The Officer nodded, "anything else?"

The cop shook his head, "no, Sir."

* * *

The students had been sent home at around one thirty the next morning and was told not to come to school until Thursday.

They were to report home right away and not loiter around the neighborhood with their friends. They were also to go home in a group of no less than three and to lock the doors of their house and windows to their room.

Every student was to stay at their houses the following day, Wednesday, and would not be permitted to walk more than twenty feet away from the main door.

* * *

The very next day, the paper boy came and sent the newspaper as usual. The five girls gathered around the dining table and read the headlines.

_Senior brutally killed on Homecoming Night_

There, in the newspaper, they had a not so graphic picture of the body and a few description of the scene at the side.

"Her mouth had been cut from ear to ear," Sakura read, "ewww…"

"It's in the picture," Ino pointed out, "what a lovely way to end a dance I so diligently planned. Oh well, at least that didn't happen to me."

"Ino," Temari scolded, "did you say that her lips had been cut from ear to ear?"

Sakura nodded.

"Where are you going?" Hinata asked Temari who was running into the room.

She didn't answer.

"She's got something?" Ino asked.

"She's got something," Tenten confirmed, "that movie junkie always gets something."

"I KNEW IT!" Temari screamed.

"Yup," Hinata said, "she did have something."

"Something I want to know," Sakura said heading towards the room with the other girls closely behind.

"I knew it," Temari said when she saw them come in, "no wonder it sounded so familiar. Mouth cut from ear to ear. There was a crime committed in fourteen January 1947. A girl, widely known as The Black Dahlia, was murdered. Her body was found in Leimert Park, Los Angeles. And her mouth her been cut from ear to ear, just like Tamanaki Milla."

"Who was her killer?" Tenten asked.

"Till this day," Temari sighed, "no one has figured out. Her blood had been similarly drained out too."

"How did you know about this anyway?" Sakura asked.

"There was a movie, but not many people in Japan watch it, it's not really popular here," Temari explained, "but I did and I got interested and began Googling it."

Ino gasped, "you, you could be the murderer!"

Temari rolled her eyes, "yeah right, I should have killed you first. Opps! My mistake."

"She could have," Tenten said with a cheeky grin, "she was with Shikamaru the whole night through."

"You make it sound like they did something," Ino said nudging Tenten.

Hinata was shocked, "you… you… guys hooked up?"

"No," Temari said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "how can that be?"

"What?" Sakura asked, "he didn't do anything?"

"Nothing at all," Ino said closing up on her.

Temari was blushing.

"Uh oh," Tenten said naughtily, "so they did _did_ something, spill."

Temari moved back, they followed. She backed away until there was no way to move. She was surrounded by those curious, excited girls.

"He kissed me," Temari admitted, "shesh was that so exciting."

In actual fact, just thinking about it made her heart leap into the fucking air.

The other girls gasped.

"He kissed you?" Hinata asked.

"HE KISSED YOU?" Ino screamed madly.

"Yes, yes," Temari said, pretending to be absorbed into her computer, "nothing interesting."

"AHHHH!" Sakura screamed along with Ino, "how did it feel?"

"Like magic?"

"Like sweets?"

"Did you hear fireworks?"

"Was he a good kisser?"

"Did you kiss back?"

"Did you flick you leg up like Princess Mia in Princess Diaries?"

"Did he whisk you up in the air?"

"Was he passionate or rough?"

"CALM DOWN!" Temari yelled, "you guys have been watching too much TV."

They eyed her.

"Ok, ok, it sounds totally ironic, but…" Temari dragged her sentence.

"But?" Sakura prompt, "how did it feel?"

"Tell me," Temari finally said, "when you kiss Sasuke, tell me how it feel. It may feel just the same."

Ino put her hands on her hips, "but was it good or bad?"

Temari turned back to her computer and smiled to herself, "brilliant."

* * *

A/N: For those who skipped it. The senior, Tamanaki Milla, the one who has been going out with Deidara died. ANBU cops are trying to find the culprit behind this mess.

It's currently 9:30pm. I haven't done any of my homework, I still have additional mathematics and social studies… save me. My hands are practically dying, in the process. But I hope you liked it. Seriously, someone (I'm not going to mention who) has been chasing me to post this chapter. I hope I didn't upset you, I hope I didn't upset any of you… Sorry if I have any spelling errors, I'm not a computer geek, don't know how to use Beta, no clue.

About The Black Dahlia, if you think I made it up, well think again. Wiki it yourself, she did die like that, just a little less scarier.

Ok, so thank you and review or you'll be sorry. (Honestly, that's getting old)

Next Chapter: The Most Dangerous Game

Our heroes are on the hunt for the criminal behind the killing of Tamanaki Milla. Shiho is still bothering them, that code- breaking leech! There was supposed to be an art exhibition, is it still on? Will Kiba survive? And wait- someone's going to die? Find out who in the next episode of The High School Chronicles!

P.S: The title The Most Dangerous Game was adapted from a book I haven't read. It was mentioned in the movie Zodiac, another true murderer case which is not solve, though in the movie it is, but hey, it's a movie!

Thanks, once again, review! Haha.


	13. Episode Thirteen:The Most Dangerous Game

A/N: While I was typing this, my mom came up and I had to close the window. She was like, "what were you doing?" And I was like, "My essay for my tuition class." And she was like, "only you know what you are doing." Thank god she didn't find out about me and fanfiction, I'd be fried.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

That morning, Shikamaru almost went to school.

"Young Master," his butler met him in the great hall, "school has been cancelled today."

He slumped his shoulders and walked back to his room. The prospect of meeting Temari had really set him going today, for the first time in his life, he was looking forward to school.

"They cancelled it because of a mysterious death…" Shikamaru laid on the bed in his room and thought, "that's really unnecessary… what a screwed up government…"

He had missed her a lot since what happened last night that imprinted a permanent existence of her in his heart.

A tempting thought bounced on his mind. He glanced at that devious contraption that laid innocently on his bedside table next to his alarm clock, well he did have her number. It was 6am… wait- 6 am? He woke up earlier than that? A miracle.

"Maybe seven," he thought, "she should be awake by then."

So he waited, lying on his bed thinking about her voice and running through the way they kissed in the dark, empty hallway the night before. He visualized the feeling of her soft dirty blond hair on his palms and the curvature of her body along his. It made him excited.

He glanced at the clock again. Five past six. Can't time pass any slower?

He waited for what seemed like an hour, but it was actually only a minute, before picking up his phone and calling Temari.

* * *

She had fallen asleep in the living room, the others were tucked in nicely in their beds, she never used hers, the only place she slept at was the living room couch. Since she knew there wasn't going to be any school the next day, she totally went on a movie marathon last night and watch movies back to back, non- stop, well at least before falling asleep after the eighth movie.

Her phone rang it loud and attention seeking ringing tone.

She has to change it.

"Hello?" she said sleepishly, "who the fuck are you?"

Suddenly she regretted that, what if they were her parents?

"It's me," Shikamaru's voice said.

She heaved a sigh of relief, "sorry about the rudeness, not used to people calling me at… say 6.05 in the morning. Why are you calling?"

"Err… asking about homework."

"Keep working on it Shikamaru, it seems a little more natural," Temari smiled, "really, why?"

"I want to talk to you."

"About?"

"Anything," he paused, "what are you doing now?"

"I'm talking to you, Shikamaru."

"Where are you?"

"Lying on the couch in the living room."

"Where are your friends?"

She was freaking out at his random questions, "erm… in the room, sleeping."

"What are you wearing?"

She was stumped, she felt her face heating up, "what do you mean by what I'm wearing? I'm wearing clothes."

"What kind of clothes?"

"What have you done to Shikamaru? You pervert!"

He laughed, "I'm Shikamaru."

"Then why are you asking about my clothing?"

"Just curious," Shikamaru said, "you're so troublesome, just tell me."

She looked down at what she was wearing she didn't think that I would be appropriate to actually describe it to him, it would be like an episode of phone sex.

"A tank and a pair of shorts," she lied, "now's my turn to ask the questions."

"What do you want to know?"

"Why you called me so damn early in the morning."

The was silence, "I woke up early for school then I realized there wasn't any today."

She scoffed, "you woke up early for school? Is there something special that you expect to happen in school?"

"I'm going to see you, aren't I?" He said.

It totally charmed her and made her blush.

"And why did you call me?" she asked.

"I just wanted to hear your voice," he said, "and I didn't get those from a movie, mind you."

She got up and drank a glass of water to cool herself down, "You know I'm not your girlfriend, right?"

"Not yet," she could hear his fairly confident voice, "are you blushing?"

"I can't help it Shikamaru," Temari said gulping down another sip of water, "I watched it in shows but no one has actually said that to me, how could I not blush?"

He laughed, "you look pretty when you blush."

She remembered that he had seen her blush before, last night when he indirectly told her that he had sexual desires for her.

"Seriously Shikamaru," Temari warned him, "stop making me blush."

"Hah," he let out a laugh, "you're too troublesome."

* * *

A/N: Last scene a chapter 12 occurs now, read if you want to, skip all the way to the **HERE** if you don't.

* * *

The students had been sent home at around one thirty the next morning and was told not to come to school until Thursday.

They were to report home right away and not loiter around the neighborhood with their friends. They were also to go home in a group of no less than three and to lock the door of their house and windows to their room.

Every student was to stay at their houses at following day, Wednesday and is not permitted to walk more than twenty feet away from the main door.

The very next day, the paper boy came and sent the newspaper as usual. The five girls gathered around the dining table and read the headlines.

_Senior brutally killed on Homecoming Night_

There, in the newspaper, they had a not so graphic picture of the body and a few description of the scene at the side.

"Her mouth had been cut from ear to ear," Sakura read, "ewww…"

"It's in the picture," Ino pointed out, "what a lovely way to end a dance I so diligently planned. Oh well, at least that didn't happen to me."

"Ino," Temari scolded, "did you say that her lips had been cut from ear to ear?"

Sakura nodded.

"Where are you going?" Hinata asked Temari who was running into the room.

She didn't answer.

"She's got something?" Ino asked.

"She's got something," Tenten confirmed, "that movie junkie always gets something."

"I KNEW IT!" Temari screamed.

"Yup," Hinata said, "she did have something."

"Something I want to know," Sakura said heading towards the room with the other girls closely behind.

"I knew it," Temari said when she saw them come in, "no wonder it sounded so familiar. Mouth cut from ear to ear. There was a crime committed in fourteen January 1947. A girl, widely known as The Black Dahlia, was murdered. Her body was found in Leimert Park, Los Angeles. And her mouth her been cut from ear to ear, just like Tamanaki Milla."

"Who was her killer?" Tenten asked.

"Till this day," Temari sighed, "no one has figured out. Her blood had been similarly drained out too."

"How did you know about this anyway?" Sakura asked.

"There was a movie, but not many people in Japan watch it, it's not really popular here," Temari explained, "but I did and I got interested and began Googling it."

Ino gasped, "you, you could be the murderer!"

Temari rolled her eyes, "yeah right, I should have killed you first. Opps! My mistake."

"She could have," Tenten said with a cheeky grin, "she was with Shikamaru the whole night through."

"You make it sound like they did something," Ino said nudging Tenten.

Hinata was shocked, "you… you… guys hooked up?"

"No," Temari said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "how can that be?"

"What?" Sakura asked, "he didn't do anything?"

"Nothing at all," Ino said closing up on her.

Temari was blushing.

"Uh oh," Tenten said naughtily, "so they did _did_ something, spill."

Temari moved back, they followed. She backed away until there was no way to move. She was surrounded by those curious, excited girls.

"He kissed me," Temari admitted, "shesh was that so exciting."

In actual fact, just thinking about it made her heart leap into the fucking air.

The other girls gasped.

"He kissed you?" Hinata asked.

"HE KISSED YOU?" Ino screamed madly.

"Yes, yes," Temari said, pretending to be absorbed into her computer, "nothing interesting."

"AHHHH!" Sakura screamed along with Ino, "how did it feel?"

"Like magic?"

"Like sweets?"

"Did you hear fireworks?"

"Was he a good kisser?"

"Did you kiss back?"

"Did you flick you leg up like Princess Mia in Princess Diaries?"

"Did he whisk you up in the air?"

"Was he passionate or rough?"

"CALM DOWN!" Temari yelled, "you guys have been watching too much TV."

They eyed her.

"Ok, ok, it sounds totally ironic, but…" Temari dragged her sentence.

"But?" Sakura prompt, "how did it feel?"

"Tell me," Temari finally said, "when you kiss Sasuke, tell me how it feel. It may feel just the same."

Ino put her hands on her hips, "but was it good or bad?"

Temari turned back to her computer and smiled to herself, "brilliant."

* * *

**HERE**

* * *

They squealed.

"You're so lucky," Ino screamed, "you got your true loves first kiss! The guys that kiss me before weren't really that into me… but…" she sighed, "you're so damn lucky…"

"Tell us when he calls!" Sakura said, "we'll be there!"

Temari choked a laugh, "well you guys were too late, he already called."

"What!" Tenten said in a short, high- pitched voice which was so unlike her, "when? Why? Ahhh!"

They all zoomed up on her again.

"He called in the morning guys," Temari spun her chair around to look at their curious faces, "at around 6:05, you guys were still sleeping, I didn't want to-"

"6:05?" Ino gasped, "he's passionate!"

Temari rolled her eyes, "can you guys stop being so dramatic, it's creeping me out."

They ignored her, "why did he call?" Hinata asked.

"Er…" she thought.

"_I just wanted to hear your voice." _She recalled him saying.

"He just wanted to hear my voice," Temari said what she remembered.

They all pretended to faint.

"What else?" Tenten asked.

Temari sighed and told them the whole conversation, they weren't going to let her do her own work without bothering her about it. So she told them everything, about him asking her what she was doing, where she was doing it and even what she was wearing.

And the lesson the other girls got from this: Shikamaru was a pervert.

* * *

They cancelled the art exhibition. Rumor has it that it was due to the death and because the main artist for the exhibition was a close friend of the one who passed. They had rescheduled it till next Monday, the next day, Friday, was impossible, it would be too tight and not to mention, too risky.

The Akatsuki and the four remaining girls stayed at the hospital the whole night to sympathize with Milla, Deidara and most of all her mother.

Yes, Milla didn't grow up and orphan like the rest of the Akatsuki members, in fact, it was because she wasn't an orphan made her illegible to be a member. Her father died in a World War along with Fumiko's dad and Aki's older brother. She was left with her mother and that was the only family they had left in this world. Milla's mom and dad never had any siblings, their whole family tree only consists of only childs.

Now that Milla was dead, her mother was all alone in this world, with on family and no proper regulation of income. Even if she did go to an Old Folks Home, she wouldn't be able to pay up the cost of the amenities.

"I hate dances," Caroline said leaning on Tobi's shoulder, "took someone's life away, took my best friend's life away."

"People come and people go Caroline," Konan muttered, "there's nothing we could have done about it. Now all we can do is make sure her mother is alright."

"We're going to do something about it," Pein said, holding up the papers, "tonight, there is an exhibition at the National Museum on the study of Michelangelo, you guys know what to do."

"I'm guessing you wouldn't let us tag along," Aki said, "cause if we get caught… it'll ruin our future."

Pein nodded, "but we need Deidara to be in shape for the break in, he needs to sculpt a replica of this priceless marble sculpture that's worth millions."

"And Itachi has to go no matter what?" Yui asked.

"I want to go," Itachi said standing up, "if it were you, you'd want someone to help you parents out right? So please understand my little princess."

Yui pouted, "just get back safely, don't get caught, I have no money to bail you out of prison."

Itachi kissed her forehead, "no one can catch us."

Zetsu stuck his head into the ward, "Miss Tamanaki, we'll be going."

Miss Tamanaki didn't really like the others, she only favored Deidara and Zetsu. Deidara because her daughter loved him and Zetsu because he was intelligent.

"The girls and I are going home," Fumiko said to the rest of the Akatsuki, "there's no where else we can go to."

Literally, no where.

* * *

They were having their late breakfast.

Neji had scramble eggs, Shino had bacon and cheese, Sasuke had plain bread and Sai had nothing, he doesn't eat breakfast- it was the most unhealthy meal of the day.

"So…" Sai broke the unbearable silence, "how did you and Sakura go along?"

Sasuke looked at Sai skeptically, "if you want me to ask about you and Ino, just get right out with it."

"I didn't even go to the dance," Shino reminded them.

"Because you were too busy flirting with the bugs," Neji said, "so tell us what you have to say about Ino and yourself."

Sai thought for a while, "she told me that she liked Neji."

Neji spitted out all the scramble eggs he had in his mouth, "say what?"

"Then she said that she still liked Sasuke," Sai continued.

Sasuke choked on his food, "_still_? Haven't you blown her away? Haven't you made her scream like a mad woman?" Sasuke paused for a while to catch his thoughts, "god dude, aren't you sad?"

"Sad?" Sai repeated like it was a completely new word to him, "no, I don't really feel anything, my feelings are the only thing god forgot to inject into me. And besides, all the girls I ever liked only went out with me to get closer to the two of you. Let's face it, Ino told me that I wasn't half as popular as any of you."

Neji nodded, "true, only because you keep your feelings to yourself, you hardly ever socialize. All you can do is… is…"

"Smile," Shino said, "really Sai, what ever happened to your emotions?"

Sai stood up and collected his plate and glass and headed for the kitchen, "they have all been translated into drawings."

The three of them got up and headed to Sai art studio all the way on the highest floor.

"Come to think of it," Neji said as they walked hurriedly up the long twining stairs, "I haven't seen any of Sai's drawings in a very long time."

"Imagine how sad he would feel if someone he likes is actually using to him to get closer to us," Sasuke said, "I feel disgusted with myself."

"You are being incredibly thoughtful today Sasuke," Shino gasped, "who are you and what have you done to Sasuke?"

He ignored Shino's stupidity.

Sai's art studio was all the way on the highest floor. They gave him that room because he needed a place where he could express himself through the medium of art, in a peaceful, ambient surrounding. It was also because the walls of the top floor were made of glass so he can look out of the glass walls and get inspiration as and when he wanted to. They was the view of the ocean far off to the north that stretched so far you couldn't see the end. He liked that.

_I want to see the endlessness to be able to draw continuity, _his voice echoed in their heads.

Sasuke opened the door to the art studio.

"He was angry," Neji muttered, "we was angry with us, mad, paranoid, but he didn't know. He couldn't feel it."

Sasuke looked at a single canvas lying at the far end of the room, "he was jealous too."

"And all along we thought that he was alright," Shino said, "that he wasn't upset with anything."

They watched as the sun rose into mid air and as the clouds start to lose their shade of salmon.

"Right now," Neji broke the atmospheric silence, "I blame Ino."

"Me too," Sasuke agreed.

Shino looked at him, half shocked, "since when were you a 'I blame you' kind of person?"

Sasuke looked at him like he was the most unfeeling person in the world, "since Sai became my brother. Blood related or not, I don't care. I grew up with that guy, I watched him grow into a person that is not quite so different from us. I don't know about you guys, but I feel like I owe him a lot, and it is fine time I gave back. After all, we eat together, live together, walk together, grew together, learnt together, felt together," he paused, "what makes us so different from really, blood bonded brothers?"

* * *

"Do you really think that their going to go around patrolling the vicinity for any students who refuse to stay home?" Ino said looking out of the window, "cause I am in the mood for some SHOPPING!"

The five of them laid in the living room, on the verge of death. Yes, ever heard of bored to death? That was it. They might just die.

"Let play a game," Hinata said.

They looked at her.

"Are you freaking serious?" Temari muttered, "I'd rather watch some chezzy 90's movie than play a game… what are you going to suggest? Truth or Dare?"

"Hell no!" Sakura said, "please, we had enough of those!"

Hinata frowned, "then what do you guys suggest, I'm the only one thinking here."

Tenten thought for a while, "hey Temari do you have like any videos that you've rented that are nice?"

Temari face her hands over her face, "no, I've returned all of them…"

Ino dropped dead on the wooden floor, "we are _that_ bored."

The phone rang.

The girls looked at each other, with different train of thoughts flowing through their heads.

Sakura: If I pick the phone up, I'll have something to do.

Hinata: Maybe it's about the art exhibition.

Ino: Maybe it's a hot guy.

Tenten: They'll all rush for the phone, while I sit here and die. I can't be bothered with anything right now.

Temari: What if it is Shikamaru? I mean, the girls would yak and yak and yak all day and ask him weird questions.

The four dashed for the phone, trampling all over poor Tenten.

They were soon in a tight race on who gets to the phone first and finlly gets occupied with something.

Seeing that they were all so close to each other, Sakura made a last minute decision to lung for the phone and grab it when she had the chance.

"Hello?" she fell on to the floor with the phone tightly plastered to her ear, "its Sakura."

"Hello?" the receiving end said, "Sakura?"

She gasped, "why would _he_ call?" she wondered.

"Yup this is Sakura," she muttered, "you must be Sasuke, strange though, I don't hear fan girls in the background…"

She knew he rolled his eyes, "I know… it's such a wonder ain't it? That people actually have time for themselves instead of me."

She got up on her legs and started walking to the couch with the other girls disappointedly dispersing, "whatever, what do you want?"

"Ino," he said curtly.

She fell off her seat, "what? Ino? Hey, who was the one who so violently objected to her? You want her now? Gosh, you're… you're…"

"Amazing?" he offered, "stunning? Ingenious? Magnificent? Come on say it."

"… a complete bastard," she growled.

There was a pause.

"Too hard to handle the truth?" she said, proud that she left him stumped.

"No," he said, "I was talking to Shino. What did you just say?"

"Bastard."

"Who are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb Uchiha."

"What if I am?"

"Then I feel sorry for you."

"Then I feel even more sorry for you, cause you wasted your prom with a dumb guy," he faked a sympathetic voice, "boohoo."

"Huh?"

"Ino?" He recognized the voice, "where is Sakura?"

There were some whispering in the background.

"Oh er… sticking pins into a… voodoo doll… that…that what Sakura?"

More whispers…

"Oh, has your name on it," Ino finished.

He laughed, "she has a doll of me? I didn't know she liked me that much."

He could guess that Ino was telling Sakura whatever he had said about her.

"Oh, er… she loves you to death."

Then there was someone, quite obviously Sakura, screaming 'NOOOOO…' in the background.

"Oh sorry," Ino laughed, "she said she'd love for you to die… or something like that."

"Tell her…" Sasuke started his rebuttal.

"No, wait," she cut him off mid way, "Sakura you talk to him. Why the hell did you pass me the damn phone in the first place?... Take it!"

"I thought he wanted to tell you something?" Sakura argued, shoving the phone back to Ino.

"Sasuke," she asked him, "do you have anything to say to me?"

"Er… no." Sasuke said.

"WHAT NO?" Neji shouted in the background.

Ino passed Sakura the phone, Sakura passed back. They were like playing another version of tug- of- war, except you are trying to get the thing away from you.

Tenten and Temari sat there, watching the two of them tossing the phone to each other like it was a time bomb that was going to go off any moment. They rolled their eyes and sighed.

"This is so troublesome," Temari commented.

Tenten looked at her, "he's growing on you."

"Are you going to stop the fight or not?" Temari asked, changing the subject.

Tenten got up and caught the phone that was being tossed to mid air at that time, "hello? Sasuke? What the hell do you want?"

"Tenten?" the receiver said.

"Wait- Neji?" she had expected Sasuke, "what do you want? To aid in wasting a few more seconds of my life?"

"Perhaps…" Neji contemplated, "but isn't your life such a waste already?"

"I shall verbally punch you," Tenten said, "seriously, what the hell do you guys want?"

"I want your virginity."

"WHAT?" Tenten screamed into the phone, "have you officially gone mentally insane? Who the heck wants to give their virginity to you?"

"Yo-" he was cut off.

"Hello?" another voice came, "hah. Er… Neji had too much coffee in the morning."

Faintly, in the background, Tenten could hear Neji saying, "I didn't even drink coffee in the morning."

"Shino," Tenten tried to say as calmly as possible, "you're the only sane one left besides Sai, can you please explain to me the purpose of the call?"

"Sai is the main reason we're calling," he said, "he ran away from home."

* * *

"Isn't that sweet Ino?" Hinata asked, "Sai ran away because he was heart- broken. Awww…"

Ino frowned, "that's not the point Hinata, he is gone, kapish! Where would he go? How would he live? Gosh. Why didn't he think twice?"

"Because you said that you still loved Sasuke and Neji," Tenten explained, "gosh Ino, how brainless can you get?"

Ino shook her head, "I did say that, but I continued, didn't he hear me? I said that even though I still like his brothers Sasuke and Neji, but, BUT, he was the one that I thought was the sweetest. Didn't he catch that?"

All of them froze and shifted their eyes to look at each other. This was bad.

"Don't tell me he ran away for no reason," Temari said, "he mustn't have heard what Ino had said, I guess sadness overwhelmed him."

"I can't help you with this one Ino," Sakura said walking away, "figure it out yourself. I'm going out,"

"You are?" Hinata said, standing up, "but I thought…"

"I don't care," Sakura muttered, "I'm sick of being cropped up in this place, I need to get some milk."

"Milk?" Tenten tried to suppress her laughter.

Sakura laughed, "that was the first thing that came to mind, apparently I'm craving for it."

Temari grabbed the car keys which hung lifelessly on the hook, "lets go then."

Ino stood up, "wait, you're going too?"

"Ohhh," Sakura cooed, "she wanted to see her beloved Shikamaru."

Temari whacked Sakura's arm, "whatever, I'm going to get more movies. There is this list I have to full fill, and I have like 86 more to go. So I better start working on it."

"Anyone up for shopping?" Ino said.

The four of them looked at her like she was officially deemed the alien of the year.

"Really," Tenten asked, "I think you should just shut up and moan about Sai like how a wife moans about her lost husband. Your mood swings are freaking me out."

"Hinata?" Ino pouted, "are you staying with me?"

Hinata cringed at that thought, "but I fee like milkshake today."

"I can make milkshake," Ino offered.

She cringed again, "I value my dear life Ino."

Ino pouted even more, "Tenten? Don't tell me you're going to the gym or some workout place."

Tenten nodded, "ok then, I won't tell you."

Ino fell back on the sofe, "come on, isn't anyone staying at home? To be safe? To moan with me about Sai?"

Hinata, Tenten, Temari were already in the jeep, Sakura was wearing her shoes. She looked at Ino with sympathetic eyes.

"No," Sakura said almost too cheerily, "apparently you're on your own."

So much for sympathetic eyes.

"What kind of best friends are you guys?" Ino pouted madly.

Ino heard the door close and the roaring sound of the engine come to life. At few seconds later, she watched as the jeep ran past the window and disappear along the streets.

She sat on the couch and switched on the television, "on a lighter note," she told herself, "if they get killed, all their belongings goes to me," she laughed that evil laugh the bad guys did in cartoons, "I'm evil."

* * *

_The Killer only preys on his victims, _

_When they're alone…_

* * *

"Who wants to take the car?" Sakura asks as they stopped by the roadside where she alights, "Tenten?"

Tenten looked at Hinata, "well we're going to the same mall… so I guess it would be convenient."

Sakura tossed her the keys, "here, I'll call you to pick me up."

Tenten nodded and settled into the drivers seat, "next stop, the vid store."

Sakura waved at the jeep as it drove away and turned towards the provision shop.

"Haha," she laughed at herself, "milk? Gosh, I need to get a freaking life."

She entered the shop and looked around for milk, preferably strawberry. The aisle were cramp and the products were stacked all the way to the ceiling, she had to crane her neck to check if the milk was up there.

There weren't many people, like four or five, including the cashier and herself. It was only on the last aisle where she found her thoroughly hidden milk.

But that wasn't the only thing she found.

Shiho was there too.

She glared at Sakura when she came in view, and squished the carton of milk she held until all it's contents were no longer in the carton.

"What are you doing here," she seethed.

"Well the last time I checked, this was a _public_ provision shop," Sakura said trying to keep her cool, "the really question is: why aren't you in a strait jacket?"

She flunged the empty milk carton onto the floor and trudged towards Sakura, "I haven't given up yet. So if you think I'm going to let your little friend have her way, then you're wrong."

"What's wrong with you?" Sakura said, frustrated, "he clearly doesn't like you, why can't you just give it up and bury the hatchets. It's high time you stop following us around and creating your little fantasies of Shikamaru and yourself. Cause guess what? Guess what Shiho? He doesn't like you, he fucking doesn't like you and he never will. He has already told Temari that he like her and he has already kissed her, ON HER FREAKING LIPS. So can't you get the hint and just fuck off?"

Her palm collided with Sakura's cheek.

She could feel her cheek throbbing, like her heart with in it. She could feel the immense heat radiating from her skin and the agony running through her veins, eating up her insides.

"You deserved that," Shiho muttered and walked away.

She winced at the pain and gazed at the white puddle in front of her. It made her laugh.

She had came for milk.

She got it, on the floor.

* * *

"Here," Temari tossed the DVDs onto the counter, "I'm taking these."

The girl in the counter she had gotten so used to looked through the titles.

"_Angels and Demons_," she nodded, "Tome Hanks, thinking movie. _Sahara_, Penelope Cruz, Adventure and _Spirited Away_, very popular."

She proceed to scan in the rented movies and holding them in a bag for Temari.

"Here," she said once she was done, "where's your boyfriend? The one with the long black hair?"

She smiled, "oh I am about to go to his house," she said walking out, "thank you."

* * *

"I thought you wanted to go to the gym or something?" Hinata asked, "why are you shopping with me?"

"Nah, I decided not to," Tenten said entering a clothes store, "this is cute."

Hinata looked at the navy blue chiffon dress Tenten picked from the racks, "yeah it is."

"Try it on," Tenten pushed her towards the changing room, "I bet it looks nice on you."

She closed the door in Hinata's face, "remember to show it to me once you're done, I'll be out here."

She went back to the same old rack and rummaged for items to bombard Hinata with.

"Hey Tenny!" screamed an awefully familiar voice, "fancy meeting you here."

It was Naruto and gang walking towards the store.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked, "you're supposed to be home quarantined."

Tenten nodded and went back to her clothes searching, "so are you guys, going to the arcade again? Be careful not to get killed."

"You don't look like the kind to shop," Kiba commented, "this is a strange sight."

"Hahaha," Tenten faked a laugh and passed at least ten clothes to Naruto, "pass this to my dear Hinata over there," she lowered her voice, "there woman next to me is trying to steal all the good clothes," she picked a white shirt out, "nice?"

Kiba and Lee nodded.

She looked at it again, "yeah, it is,' she passed it to Kiba, "here hold this. Lee get that orange one over there, it looks nice."

"Tenten," Hinata said stepping out of the changing room, "I'm not sure about… AW FUCK."

She saw Naruto there, suffocating under the ten layers of clothing.

"Damn I said the F word," she scolded herself, "gosh what are you doing here?"

Naruto pointed to Tenten, "that demon threw this upon me."

Hinata made way for him into the changing room, "put it here," she beckoned towards a bench inside.

Naruto flexed his fingers and examined whatever Hinata was wearing, "purchased? Un- purchased?"

It took a while for her to realize he was talking about the dress, "un- purchased," she assured him, "why?"

He nodded, stroking his chin, "turn around," he commanded.

She followed.

"Nice, nice, nice," he said, "how much?"

Hinata rolled her eyes, "a bomb. You don't want to know."

Naruto took out his wallet and counted the notes her had, "well I have quite a hefty sum with me. It'd be wiser to spend it on clothes than on the arcade, am I right?"

Hinata shook her head, "no way, it's to my benefit, not yours. Keep your money."

Naruto frowned, "if you say so…" he looked at the other customers in the store, "that woman over there looks like she wants it. Pass it to me when you're done, she might want it."

She looked downcasted and nodded slowly, "goodbye beautiful dress…" she thought, "Naruto praised me in you…"

She returned to the changing room and slowly took it off and threw it over the door for Naruto to catch.

She proceed to trying on the rest of the dress she knew she could never afford.

* * *

"TEMARI IS HERE!" Chouji's voice echoed throughout the mansion, "SHE HAS MOVIES! PREPARE THE THEATRE!"

Shikamaru rushed down the twining stairs and made a dash for the front door.

Chouji watched the dashing figure and gasped, "Shikamaru is running? What has the world come to?"

"Temari?" he opened the door, "oh god it's you."

She had her fist up, prepared to knock the door, but since Shikamaru had already opened it there was no need to hear the wooden mahogany door echo the house with a deep growl.

"You seem like a mother receiving her son after he came back from a grueling war," she laughed, "hi."

"Why did you come?" he face was filled with aghast.

"Ok," she said, taking a step down the stair, "I'll leave then."

"Hey wait," he grabbed her wrist before she could leave, "I mean, why did you risk it to come here?"

"I got bored at home," she said, "besides, I know you guys can't pick a god movie without my reference."

He scoffed, "troublesome. Chouji is _exhilarated_ you came."

Chouji walked out off the living hall with a bag of chips in his hand, "Temari save me from the horrid movies Shikamaru has here."

She laughed and tossed him the bag of DVDs, "this is becoming a routine. I come with movies, and you two watch, blah, blah, blah…"

The door bell rang.

"He'll get it," Shikamaru muttered.

"It's in the evening Shikamaru," Chouji said, "he's probably whipping up something nice for us to eat."

Shikamaru called his butler, no one answered. He sighed.

"Fine," he said heading for the front door, "I'll get it."

Temari stopped him, "I'll go, you guys start playing the film first. There is always these commercials at the beginning that bugs me," she started towards the door, "don't worry, I'll be back in time."

She heard the boy's footsteps slowly soften as they walked further and further away from each other.

_Ding Dong_.

She quickened her pace.

Then it occurred to her that this person had to get through the front gates before coming for the main door. Shikamaru only told people like Chouji, his butler and herself the combination to open the gates.

This person must be someone he is close to, like a family friend or something.

She unlocked the locks on the tall mahogany door and heard the familiar shift of the gears as she twisted the knob, pull the door open and chanced upon her impatient visitor.

She bit her lower lip, "Shiho."

* * *

He examined the marble sculpture that laid before him. His reactions came in nodded and frequent 'ummm's.

The white marble sculpture was tall, he had to crane his neck to get a full view of it. In the man made light, that sheds the room, the white masterpiece shone light a gentle moon.

"It's not yet completed," Deidara muttered.

Pein nodded, "I can tell," he said stroking his chin, "and why is this so?"

Deidara stood up and brushed the little dust on the feet of David, "I lack a Lo Scalpello."

Pein raised a brow, "Lo what?"

"Lo Scalpello," Konan came next to him, "a flat chisel used to sculpt a statue," she scrutinized the statue, "Statue of David, 1504, Michelangelo, symbol of Florence freedom."

"Stop showing off, Konan," Pein said, "I'm not impressed."

"You'd be if you see her version of the Statue of David," Deidara's voice was filled with melancholy, "it's made of paper. Way cooler than mine."

* * *

"Excuse me," Aki asked the man at the counter, "do you happen to know what a Lo Scalpello is?"

The boy with the orangey red hair looked up, "yes, I do."

He lead them through the hardware store and directed them to the sculpting sections.

"Here," he pointed, "you can find any of your chisels here."

Yui nodded, "thank you," she squinted to get a clearly view of his employee's badge, "Juugo."

He raised his hand like a silent thank you, "your welcome Aki and Yui sempai."

They were stunned.

"You know us?" Yui asked, before Juugo could walk away.

"Yup," he said casually, "same school. Junior year. I can't be quarantine cause of work."

Aki started jumping excitedly on the spot, "I know! I know! He's the top biology student in his level!"

Juugo remained unamused and went back to work.

Yui frowned, "he's a very unfriendly guy."

"Who studies about the intimate topic of the human body," Aki squealed, "if he ever needs help, I don't mind lending him my body!"

"You've reached the peak of your insanity level."

* * *

The two girls were ahead of the guys.

"I don't think we should force them into such tough labour," Hinata said, looking at Naruto, Kiba and Lee struggling with the loads and loads of shopping they had done, "look at them, they're practically screaming for help."

Tenten stopped her, "no dearie, we have walking ATMs and handymen, this is a girl's dream."

"Naruto even bought me that expensive chiffon dress," Hinata murmured, "did you force him to?"

Tenten sighed, "for the millionth time: NO. He probably likes you or something. I mean spending a bomb on a girl is… is well… rare. You hardly ever see it these days."

Hinata blushed, "you seriously think he likes me?"

"I think, I don't know," Tenten said, "but really, you shouldn't settle here, aim higher."

"I don't see you aiming higher," Hinata refuted.

"Neji is already really high," Tenten said with much pride, "but anyways, we're not like going out or anything. He just kissed me, brought me to homecoming and that's it."

"That sounds like one Temari's movies…" Hinata trailed off, "you should have held on to him while you can."

Tenten shook her head, "guys like him don't settle for girls like me."

"True," Hinata agreed, "then what kind of girls do they settle for?"

Tenten thought for a moment, "girl's like Ino or …

* * *

"SAKURA!" Ino screamed, "you're back! Boredom was watching over me while you guys were gone," she notice the dripping gadget Sakura pulled out from her pocket, "what the hell happened to your phone?"

"I'll explain later," she picked up the home phone and rapidly flipped through the phone book, "fuck, fuck, FUCK!"

Ino watched Sakura run into the bedroom. She heard the ruffling of papers and the banging of drawers.

"Sakura," she called out, "are you ok?"

"HERE!" she screamed from the bedroom as she rushed out at a frantic pace, "come one come on," as muttered as she dialed the phone numbers in.

There was ringing and ringing.

Sakura impatiently tapped her fingers against the tables, "pick up you damn genius."

Ino came to a conclusion that Sakura was calling Shikamaru.

"Hello?" Sakura voice was filled with hope, "Shikamaru, where is Temari?"

Shikamaru sighed, "she went to answer the door. Want me to relay a message?"

"Who is at the door?" Sakura asked, "who is it?"

"I don't know," there was growing concern in his voice, "why?"

"I met Shiho today."

* * *

"CHOUJI," he called, "SHIHO!"

Chouji tossed the bag of chips aside and caught up with Shikamaru in the marathon out of the theatre.

"What happened?" Chouji asked.

"Sakura called," Shikamaru said, "she said she met Shiho today. That girl is nuts."

"No she's not," Chouji argued, "nuts are tasty, apparently she's not. She's asparagus."

They reached the main hall and the main door came in view.

"TEMARI!" Shikamaru shouted.

She was there, just closing the door. She turned around and smiled.

He's breathe resumed it's normal pace.

"Maybe that wasn't Shiho," he thought, relieved.

"That's was Shiho," she said, walking towards the two of them, "she came to tell me something."

"What?" Chouji asked, panting like a mad dog, "what did she tell you?"

"She came to tell me that she had given up on Shikamaru," Temari explained, "seeing that this was all a wild goose chase."

Shikamaru sighed, "troublesome, made me run for nothing."

"I am troublesome, that's why you ran."

* * *

The door slammed, it was followed by loud footsteps.

The single housewife, came out of the kitchen to meet her infuriated daughter.

"What happened," she asked, keeping out to her daughter's pace, "did they threaten to put you in a straitjacket?"

She shook her head.

"More councilling?"

"No."

"They gave you sedatives to calm you down?"

"No."

"What is it then?"

Her daughter stopped before the stairs, "I gave up. I'm not pursuing him anymore. I'm not going to help you with revenge."

She slapped her daughter, "Shiho, it was our dream. You can't give up on your dream."

Shiho's eyes brimmed with tears and turned pale red, "it's wasn't my dream mother, but yours," she seethed under her breath, "I was just a girl who had feelings for a boy and that's it."

"No," she slapped Shiho again, "NO. You snap out of that mindset. I didn't bring you up intelligent and gifted for nothing. You owe me a living and you have to repay me back."

She looked at her mother, "you didn't chose for me to be intelligent and gifted, I was born with it. It's something you can't control," she walked up the stairs, "I'm tired."

"What are you going to do?" her mother shouted.

"Going into eternal slumber."

* * *

Sakura was on her way to fetch Tenten and Hinata from the mall before she got a call from Temari.

"Yes?"

"Er… how should I put this…" Temari's voice was slow, "I'm not coming home tonight."

The car screeched.

"What?" Sakura said with much enthusiasm, "you guys decided to have sex?"

"No," Temari said, "we just have a lot of movies to watch. Really, too many to complete by tonight. Their due tomorrow, so I have to watch them quick or I'll waste my money."

Sakura shook her head, "tsk tsk tsk Temari, now you're lying? Alright, alright, you're not coming home cause you have your so called 'movies to watch'. I'll tell them."

"Whatever Sakura," she said before hanging up.

She tossed Ino's phone onto the seat next to her, "yeah right, movies… what a lame excuse."

The phone rang again.

"Yup?"

"Are you here yet?" Tenten said, "Naruto and gang are getting restless."

"Just around the corner," Sakura said making a turn, "oh and someone is going to lose her virginity tonight."

* * *

She knew where her mother kept all those sleeping pills; under her pillow, where they are most convenient.

She plopped 5 of those into her mouth and drank a mouthful of water.

"Five should suffice," she said lying down on her bed, "five should suffice."

* * *

"_Dear visitors,_" the PA system boomed, "_the museum is going to close in 5 minutes, please kindly make your way to the nearest exit before the security system is activated. We hoped you had a nice visit to Michelangelo's archives and works. Please come again soon. Thank you._"

Everyone started milling out of the vicinity and exiting through the main entrance. Some stayed back for a moment or so before deciding to leave. The attendants in the museum redirected those who were making their way deeper into the museum to the entrance.

And when no one was noticing, a couple, male and female slipped into the janitor's closet they had conveniently placed themselves next to.

The last of the museum staff had left the museum, leaving him practically the only one left, well except for David, who stood tall and victoriously naked beside him.

He had never had the slightest interest for the arts, but this Michelangelo guy is sure a freak.

"How can someone ever conjure a statue like this from a fucking block of marble?" he thought to himself before proceeding to do his regular rounds round the museum.

He had been doing this job for quite a while now, he knew about the different artifacts and art piece more than any educated visitor would. No visitor has been observant enough to realize that the Statue of David wasn't completely flawless. He had stumbled upon that fact a few days ago. He noticed that there was a minute chip on the marble on the heel of David's left leg. But of course, you really had to squint to actually be aware of it's existence.

He jerked.

No longer than 2.5 seconds ago came a single, but sonorous sound from one of the halls. He looked at the different link ways that connected where he stood to many hallways.

And there it was again.

The sound of glass colliding with glass and repetitively sounding at shortening intervals.

And from the corner of his eye, a shadow flew past.

Flew.

Suspended in the air.

It wasn't soundless, but light and fluttery, like paper being folded over and over again.

The two sounds mixed in the echoing atmosphere of the museum. Countless times, he spun around, half looking for the sources of these sounds and half thinking there was somebody, or _something_ lurking around the corner.

At a distance, he saw something coming towards him, it bounced up and down and up again. Each time is comes in contact with the marble flooring it makes that sonorous sound.

He wiped off the sweat drops on his forehead, "it's only a marble," he told himself.

The height in which the marble is from the ground gets shorter and shorter as it bounced towards the night guard. He stood there, ready to stop the moving marble with his feet.

And is bounced and it bounced until it has lost all it's gravitational energy, before rolling towards the guards feet.

He smiled at the marble like it had lost a battle, "you gave me quite a scare, little white marble."

* * *

The white, paper bird landed on the arms of a blue haired woman who conveniently stroked it's beak, "good boy," she whispered and turned to her partner, "he's out."

He nodded and pulled on his mask, "carefully hide all that blue hair you have, it might give you away."

She rolled her eyes as she slipped the origami into her pocket, "you're the one with more hair."

They wore their masks on and exited the janitor's closet.

"Signal the others," Deidara said, "it's time."

She took out an origami of a red sparrow and held it out on her palm. It's wings flapped and soon it took off into the air.

* * *

"I'm hungry," Chouji grumbled as he watched Chihiro's parents swallowing a million and one mouthfuls of food, "dinner is late."

Temari made a face, "we just had dinner Chouji," she stated, "spaghetti, meat balls, turkey…"

"You ate most of them, Chouji," Shikamaru said, keeping his eyes on the screen, "and you're still hungry."

He tapped his finger on the arm of the seat, "her parents must be the happinest people on earth, those food look… yummy."

They watched as Chihiro runs back to where her parents last were and in their place were two fat pigs swallowing whatever in sight.

Temari grinned and opened her mouth to comment on it, but Shikamaru placed his long index finger upon her lips and made a shushing sound.

She shifted her eyes and looked at him.

He leaned towards her, "you might regret it," he whispered as he stroked the side of her face with the back of his palm.

* * *

The red sparrow rested upon the heavily pierced guy, he gazed at It before signaling the other guys with him to put on their masks before entering from the back.

"Kakuzu," Pein called, "get us in."

He moved his hand towards the key hole, it dispersed into many fine strings of thread and one by one entered the key hole. The threads fiddled with the gears and played with the locks before they heard a 'click' sound. The threads immediately came out and formed back into his hand.

The six of them entered the museum.

Four of them went straight for the Satue of David, the centre piece of the exhibition, where they met up with their partners in crime.

"Statue?" Deidara asked, "if you fucking forget to bring the statue I swear I will…"

"It's in the back," Itachi said, "Tobi and Kisame went to get it."

Just that instant, Tobi and Kisame's voices could be heard echoing down the hallway.

"Next time," Kisame scolded, "don't touch anything with your bare fingers!"

"Tobi will be a good boy next time," Tobi said, as his cheery face came into view, "Tobi brought the statue."

They pushed the statue hidden behind a giant sheet of cloth towards the real David.

Itachi nodded and looked towards the real one, "we have to replace that statue with the replica without triggering the alarm."

* * *

They were admiring Hinata's purchases today.

"And this," Sakura waved a black satin shirt in Hinata's face, "how much is this?"

Hinata thought for a while, "I think it's… close to a hundred."

"This?" she held a faded blue denim skinny, "it's Levis!"

"I… I… don't know!" Hinata said, "I didn't pay for them, Naruto did."

Ino faked a faint and fell into Hinata's mountains of new clothing, "if Temari, Sakura, me or Tenten came back with this mountain, I'd wouldn't be half surprised, their guys are freaking loaded. But really, Naruto? Isn't he like, I don't know, middle class?"

"Exactly!" Tenten screamed at the only person who agreed with her, "what has the world become?"

Ino started bouncing enthusiastically on her bed, "you like Naruto don't you?"

Hinata buried her face into the new navy sweater to hide her blush.

"Yeah, she does," Sakura answered for her, "why?"

Ino sighed dramatically, "isn't this great. Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. And they fall in love!"

"Er…" Tenten made a face, "I don't get the point."

Ino ignored her and made a dash for her cell phone, "I'm calling Temari, she might direct a movie like that one day and cast me as the lead as a thank you for giving her the awesome idea!"

Sakura lunged towards Ino and grabbed the phone away, "NOOOOOO!"

Ino looked at her, face filled with aghast, "what no?"

Sakura took the phone and settled it far away from Ino's reach, "for all you know, they might be having…"

"Having?" Ino probed.

"You know," Sakura said, "having…"

"Dinner?" Tenten asked.

Sakura shook her head.

"A party?" Ino asked, "she didn't invite me!"

Sakura frowned, "not a party, they're having…"

Hinata gasped, "tuition? We shouldn't disturb them."

Sakura knocked her head against the wall, "are you guys playing dumb with me, or do you really not know what they're having?"

"Playing dumb," Tenten stated.

Sakura heaved a sigh a relief.

"No really," Tenten said, "we really didn't know what they were having."

"DAMN IT," it came out like a scream from Sakura, "FORNICATION! COITION! INTERCOURSE!"

Ino was shocked by her enthusiasm, "god Sakura just say…"

"FUCKING!"

Tenten, Hinata and Ino were thrown aback by her choice of words.

Tenten nodded uneasily, "ok, ok, we get it Sakura, shesh, you don't need to use such a strong word."

"Sex would have suffice," Hinata muttered.

Sakura held her head low and walked out of the room, leaving the three girls all not- so- alone.

"I ought to be shocked at what my sister is doing," Tenten said, staring at where they had last seen Sakura, "but really, it isn't as shocking as Sakura screaming the F bomb on us."

Ino nodded, "she wasn't cursing or swearing, but describing… scary…"

Hinata stood up and walked to her study table, "I have no comments on Temari's sexual activities," she turned around seeing Ino and Tenten reaching for the phone, "don't call her!"

* * *

They had successfully replaced the real statue with the replica.

"Now let's go," Deidara said.

"No, wait," Konan said taking a ting ziplock from her pocket, "Zetsu told me to do this."

She opened it up and poured it contents onto the floor.

Brown strands of hair slowly drifted onto the ground and littered the floor ever so discreetly.

"Evidence," Konan muttered, "our dear Zetsu is smart, isn't he?"

They started to head out of the back door at their most comfortable pace. After all, no one's going to catch them.

"Be careful," Tobi said, "Pein might get jealous."

* * *

He was doing his rounds, at night. It was a usual thing for him to do; walk around the quiet, empty cemetery in the middle of the night, to catch grave diggers. After a few weeks on the job, he had gotten quite used to the eerie feeling this place gives you.

His torchlight shone across the different grave stone and the different pathways. He knew this place by heart, he knew where the grave robbery mostly occurred; at the last row of graves, close to the forest, far from the watch house.

He headed towards that direction, just to check up on the tombs and the graves.

The sky was ink black and the full moon shone ever so dimly, the clouds were making it worse by drifting across the light path. Apparently, the stars had decided to take a break at the job, or have they fade with city lights?

"There must be something they do not want to witness," the man thought.

He walked on the muddy open path and avoided some toads in his way. He crosses many graves dating back to as far as the sixteenth century.

A cold wind blew into his face, he shivered and cuddled closely to his wind breaker. The air was usually musty that day, like it was overly humid. There was also that stench, of dead bodies he had come accustomed to. But there was also another smell. A familiar one, but one that he had never smelt in the cemetery before.

The smell of fresh blood.

* * *

He got up from the mini explosion which caused him to pass out for a few hours. Almost immediately, he went around, ensuring all the exhibits were in place and doing a count of all the paints and statues before assuring that nothing was missing.

"Maybe it was just some school boys carrying out a prank," he thought, "they didn't do anything."

He finished inspecting the last hallway and moved on to the reception counter where the security camera was. He walked pass the Statue of David, but stopped to admire it for a while.

He gazed at his firm face and grinned, "did you see what happened, David?"

Then he realized that something was wrong.

He rubbed his eyes to check if it was only his imagination.

But it wasn't.

The statue had that sheen to it, that glossy look that was almost too new to be made in the 15th century.

His breathing picked up pace.

He went over to examine David's heel.

No chip.

A crime was committed.

He backed away from the statue, staring at it, trying to figure out how the criminals got away without triggering the alarm.

The police hotline rang.

"This is the Police, can you describe the crime that had taken place?" the first police to pick up asked.

"_Robbery."_

The police wrote down the information, "robbery of what, sir?"

"_The Statue of David."_

He tried not to drop the phone, "the Statue of David…" he thought, "a historic piece. It can not be lost."

He came back to his senses, "ok, I'll dispatch the Anbu."

* * *

He raced towards the smell. There was something going on in this still night.

Something bad.

The mud splattered all over the path and his torchlight shone rapidly at every direction. He tried to look for a figure or something that is moving. Anything usual.

The single spot light flashed past an unfamiliar grave. A grave that wasn't there yesterday. He returned the spotlight and noticed a blackened figure next to it.

It looked towards the source of the light, grabbed his shovel and a bag and made a run for it.

"HEY!" the man shouted, running after the figure, "HEY! STOP IN THE NAME OF THE LAW! STOP!"

The figure didn't. In fact, it continued running into the forest until it can no longer be seen anymore.

The man stopped meters from the suspicious grave to catch his breath. He was old and worn, he couldn't run anymore, his heart couldn't take it.

He straightened himself and started walking towards the new grave.

Or perhaps the newly dug grave.

That night, the old man had seen nothing more horrific than that.

* * *

"Pass the popcorn," he nudged Chouji, "oi! Pass the thing!"

He glanced at Chouji. He had fallen asleep. Shikamaru took it from his hands and started munching on the honey covered corn. He glanced over at Temari to see if she was asleep.

Not a chance.

She is as awake as ever, intently watching the movie.

He smiled at her, she is really pretty.

She turned to face him, "the movie's over."

"About time," he muttered, stifling a yawn, "I'm tired."

"But you stayed awake throughout four movies," she pointed out, "a huge achievement for a lazyass for you. In a way, this is like my training for you to be more hardworking."

She got up, "I'm going to bed, take me to my room."

He followed her out of the theater, "troublesome, yours is next to mine."

She nodded as the walked up the stair, "what about Chouji?"

"Leave him there," Shikamaru yawned again, "he sleeps almost anywhere."

They walked to the second floor where Shikamaru's room was. There was a long hallway which had at least 10 rooms. He's room was the on all the way at the end.

"Eh Shikamaru," Temari said breaking the silence, "this is random, but, what do you think Shiho is doing now?"

* * *

She felt under her pillow. It was not there.

She felt all around her bed, but it still wasn't there.

The back up stash she had hidden in her closet was all used up, but she recalled have at least 5 tablets left.

"If I don't get them," she moaned, walking out of her room, "I would have panda eyes tomorrow," she checked the time, half past one, "or maybe today."

She knocked the door to her daughters room.

There was no answer.

She knocked harder.

Still no answer.

She gave up trying and opened the door.

* * *

"_We have a problem, sir. All Anbu cops are stationed Downtown, at the National Museum of Natural History. But we are also needed at the cemetery close to the border of the city."_

"_What happened?"_

"_A girl has been found freshly dead in the cemetery."_

"_And what's the problem?"_

"_The night watch suspects that she has been buried alive."_

* * *

-Flashback-

Five wasn't enough.

She woke up from what she thought would be her eternal slumber.

"Fuck," she cursed.

She raised her hand to get a glass of water, but the furthest she went was five inches from her face. She felt around to try to understand why she had such limited space before realizing she was locked in a wooden box.

"No, no, no, NOOOO," she screamed, "NOOO, GET ME OUT OF HERE! AHHHH!"

She banged against the top cover, hopelessly trying to knock herself out of the box. She kicked around and did whatever she could that might help get her out. Her face started to get all moist from sweat and tears, she hands throbbed with pain from all the knocking. She slowly lost her energy and stopped.

She shook her body from side to side in attempts to move the box, but it wasn't working.

When all hope seems to have flown away, her hands felt around her perimeter and grabbed hold of what seemed like a long cylinder case.

It was a torch.

She switched it on and shone it around the box. There was only a few inches of head space, but she could see her feet and the end of the box.

"I'm in a coffin," she muttered to herself.

She noticed a note attached to the board just above her head.

_To your left, a meter runs,_

_the oxygen level is measured,_

_Next to this note, a padlock, _

_do not be pressured. _

_Unlock this for you may,_

_live long enough,_

_to see the next day,_

_Pray for me in heaven._

She watched the 4 digit padlock hanging soundly above her. All she had to do was to unlock this and she'd be save.

She was desperate, she had to live. She can't die so painfully.

Her fingers ran, frantically trying to unlock the padlock. Possibilities and ideas ran through her head, lessons she had learnt about unlocking locks were all buzzing around her head.

In actual fact, she didn't know of any formulas of methods in which locks can be unlocked, it was just the pattern. Like people loved having zeros in their combinations and how some like recurring numbers and how others plainly go for consecutive numbers. She doubted this lock was any of these cases, it couldn't be that easy. Normally, she would check on that person's background to see the possible numbers for the combination, like their house address, or their birthday, or the phone numbers. But she doesn't know the person who did this code combination.

The oxygen meter ran wildly, as her quick breathing slowing sucked up the oxygen supply in the coffin. Fifty percent, forty- nine…

She was depending on luck.

"Come one," she prayed, "come on."

After what seemed like one minute, she glanced back at the meter: five percent.

She started crying, she could feel herself choking on her tears and her hands clammy from fear. Her feet kicked around the box- her last attempt at survival.

Tonight, Shiho was going to die.

And she knew it.

Her breathing was uneven and hard. The air was choking her.

In her last few breaths, she tried the last combination that came to mind.

She turned the gears to the appropriate numbers and desperately prayed for it to work.

There was a 'click' sound.

Her eyes widened with hope. She was going to live!

Quickly, she took the padlock out and pushed the huge, longitudinal piece of wood which was secured by the lock aside.

All she saw was a board of needles diving into her whole body.

* * *

"We suspected that the figure the man saw was the murderer," the police said, "I think he came to collect her blood."

"Run a check on corpse," the head officer said.

The policeman shrugged, "err… the Anbu are the forensic scientist. We're not trained for crime scene investigation; we only handle issues like petty theft, robbery, pickpockets and other minor crimes.

The officer ran his finger through his hair, "send for any available Anbu cop."

"Roger," the policeman walked away.

The officer looked the other policemen who stood around, barricading the area which had turned immensely crowded, "NO ONE IS TO TOUCH THE BODY!"

He briskly walked towards the coffin that laid open and tried to survey for visual clues.

Something white amongst the red mess caught is eye. He wore on his rubber gloves and carefully took it without contaminating the evidence. It was an envelope.

He opened it and inside was a letter folded into halves.

There were no words written on it, just a page filled with symbols and pictures like the words of ancient Egypt.

"Sir," an Anbu officer came, "you called."

"Give me the details and evidences from this corpse and who this is," the officer commanded, "the needles had spiked her beyond identification."

The Anbu officer went towards the corpse and agreed with what the Officer had said. Mutilated beyond recognition.

* * *

**A/N: HERE COMES THE DESCRIPTION OF THE BODY. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ, SCROLL UNTIL YOU SEE A 'HERE' SIGN. **

* * *

Her eyes had been horribly pierced by the needles and so were the other parts of her body. She had holes all over her body, but there she wasn't bleeding. She had no blood in her, the killer had drained her body off it's blood.

When looked closer, he noticed her fingernails were gone. Until he realized that in her widely opened mouth, lies her fingernails which have been ruthlessly pulled out.

Her hair is in patches; like they had been pulled out all at one go. Around her each of her nailess toes is a bunch of the detached hair tied to it. He went over to examine her head. He discovered that a screwdriver had been used to stab into her head from the top and twisted madly to enlarge the hole. It screwdriver when through her brain were he could vaguely see fragments of her toenails.

Her lower body, was thoroughly pieced with needles and her belly button looks as if it was tore open forcefully. It was torn so wide, the killer could have fitted a hand inside her.

Fitted a hand.

He took out the rubber gloves in his pocket and slipped them on. He then proceeded to doing to most gruesome thing he had ever did.

On hand around the skin of the enlarged belly button, the other, stuffed itself into the meaty mess, carefully search for any evidence the murderer might have left.

His lower arm went in, feeling the gooey muscles that have been decomposed and the bones that have been shattered by the needles. He pushed aside what felt like to be her lungs or her stomach and felt around for anything usual.

Then there was this furry thing.

He grabbed hold of it and started to pull it out. Slowly, his lower arm emerged from the hole on the girl's body and the item her had caught came out.

"What the hell," the Officer, who came over saw what was being pulled out, "is that a paw?"

The Anbu officer remained silent, and started pulling the rest of it out.

He held it on his hand, "it's a dead cat."

* * *

**HERE**

* * *

The press who happened to find out a death at this unholy hour started taking pictures and asking lots and lots of questions.

"What's that?" the Officer pointed at a huge scar left on the cat.

The Anbu officer felt it and moved its fur away to see the scar clearly.

Apparently, a phrase has been carved on the cat's skin.

"The… most… dangerous," the Anbu read, "game."

He looked up the the Officer next to him.

"The most dangerous game."

* * *

A/N: And there you have it. Chapter 13. A lot of effort. I meant A LOT. 42 pages on Microsoft. I hope you do enjoyed it, though. Sorry for being so late.

Review.


	14. Episode Fourteen: To Paint a Picture

A/N: Sorry this took forever.

Disclaimer: Never had and never will own Naruto.

* * *

"_Yesterday a High School girl has been found dead in a cemetery on the border of town, authorities believe that she has been buried alive and pierced to death. What is more shocking is that a dead black cat had been found in her body and on it's skin engraved the phrase 'The Most Dangerous Game'. Could her killer possibly be the same one as the passed High School girl Tamanaki Milla? They're from the same school. Could it have been all a coincidence? The Anbu is looking into the connection between these two girls. This is Fujiku in the Morning News."_

He switched off the radio and laid back in his driver's seat. Overnight, he had drove from the city to the countryside, not stopping for anything. Although the fuel ran low and he was tired, he kept on driving and driving until he had reached a place that might clear his thoughts, somewhere where he can try to remember things, recollect memories.

He had stopped driving a few minutes ago, when he heard mother nature's voices.

The crashing of the waves against the sea shore echoed in his head, he watched as the clear blue, aquamarine water ran through the first few inches of dry land before seeping into the sand. The water washed away all the footsteps that was previously left on the seashore bit by bit, just like how his feelings were; they disappeared bit by bit. The car doors were open, just at the front, to ventilate the space. The lovely sea breeze caressed his face and danced around his car.

Soon the sun would appear, far across the horizon and he would have to greet the arrival of a new day.

He didn't know if he should go back.

* * *

"Fuck," she got up from the bed and looked around the room.

All the curtains were drawn making the room enveloped in darkness. She reached for the lamp on the side table and switched on the light. It lit up half of the huge room. From where she sat, she could see the door to the toilet, the dressing table, the balcony behind the translucent sheet that circled the king sized bed. The bed was so much larger and definitely softer than the one she owned. The pillows, the bolsters and the blanket were all made of the softest feathers of a dove. She ran her fingers through the smooth satin and silk bed sheets and the velvet blanket.

Temari had just remembered that she did not have clothes to go to school in.

"Damn it," she groaned and looked at the time, half past six, "I'll still have time to make it home…" she groaned again and fell back onto the bed, "I'm too lazy."

She closed her eyes, hoping that by the time she woke up her clothes would just magically appear on the bed. And perhaps her school bag too, but she didn't think she needed them that badly.

"Damn it," she sat up again and smelt herself, she had the mere thought of rewearing whatever she wore yesterday, "fuck, I smell bad."

She could call her friends to bring it over…

"They'd get lost trying to find this place," she muttered to herself, "I'm the only one who reads the map."

She reluctantly slipped off the bed and headed out of the room to Shikamaru's room, the genius had to help her.

Politely, she knocked the door, hoping it would wake him up. She knocked again.

She tried calling his name, but then she remembered how much he adored sleeping. Just when she was felt all helpless and desperate, Shikamaru answered to her knocks.

"What?" cried the boy, his voice was muffled, probably by the stacks and stacks of pillows above his head.

She entered his room and noticed it wasn't much different from hers except the curtains around his bed wasn't drawn.

"Oi," she broke out of her friendly and polite mode, early mornings made her moody, "I just remembered that I didn't bring clothes over."

He just laid there, with his eyes close, not responding to her question.

She sighed, "Shikamaru," she shook him, "I have no clothes to wear to school."

He pushed the single pillow above is head aside, "what do you want me to do? I'm a genius, not a magician."

She knelt down on the floor on the side of his bed, like she was begging him, "I just want you to think," she yawned, "I'm not going to school wearing these smelly old clothes."

He groaned and turned to the other side, "beggars can't be choosers Temari, stop being troublesome."

"But I have a problem," she winced, "and I'm tired."

"Then sleep."

"But I have a problem."

"I solved it, so sleep."

She sunk her head into his bed, "you did?"

"Shut up."

"Fine," she stood up, "I'll go sleep, since you solved my problem. Gosh."

Before she could exit, Shikamaru stopped her.

"Oi," he called out.

She turned around, "what?" she snapped.

"Come here," he waved his hand in the air, beckoning her to come over.

She exhaled a whole chuck of air, "why? I'm tired."

Fatigue was slowly taking over her legs, she felt as if she was about to crumble. Her feet started to act on their own accord and gradually proceeded back to his bed.

"What?" she snapped, "we're both tired, so make this quick."

He tugged on her hand.

"What?" she repeated.

He patted the empty side of his bed, beckoning her to come over.

"And…?" she was starting to sway on the spot, her vision became all blurry.

"Gosh, you're troublesome," he pulled her towards his bed.

She fell flat on his bed, she could feel the lovely soft feathers of the mattress under her and the velvety blanket running under her. Shikamaru was pulling her into place. She felt herself coming upon the silken pillow and the warm grip of his hand on her forearm, settling her.

"I won't bother arguing," she muttered, "but if you dare do anything, I swear-"

"I won't," he said, pulling the velvet blanket over the both of them, "trust me."

He laid back down on his pillow and faced her, she had already shut her eyes, escaping into dreamland. Shikamaru shifted closer to her and ran his fingers through her blond hair, trailed down to her cheeks.

"Um…" she groaned.

"What?" he whispered.

"I just realized that your hair is down," she said, "never seen that before."

He shrugged, "go back to sleep Temari."

* * *

They pushed a trolley into the dark alley. There were two figures waiting for them.

"There are more fucking people in the shadows," Hidan muttered, "those fucking men are working for _him_."

Zetsu nodded, "try to remain as oblivious as possible, we don't want our client to know how powerful we can be. We're just salespeople who so happen to have the Statue of David in our possession, get it?"

Hidan grunted.

They closed up on the two figures in the alley. One of them wore a black trench coat with a high collar that covered half of his face and the other one, rather plumb, stood there grinning like an idiot, his hands at his back.

Zetsu and Hidan nodded and smiled to acknowledge their client.

He tapped his feet at an impatient pace, "you're late."

"Only by two fucking minutes we are," Hidan said in his calmest tone, "is that so fucking unbearable for you?"

Zetsu sighed, "mind… Gregor, he has anger management issues. Just broke up with his girlfriend, right Gregor?" he shot Hidan a glare.

"You're damn fucking right," Hidan muttered, he held out his gloved hand, "I'm Gregor McCabre. This," he indicated to Zetsu, "is my partner, Wyatt Hallow."

The man scratched his head, a few strands of brown her drifted to the ground, "Foreigner?"

Hidan noticed the guy in the trench coat and those in the shadows were armed; guns, rifles, knives. He scoffed.

"Yes," Zetsu said, "we're from the states, came here specially to seal the deal with you. Mister Kawasaki."

Kawasaki walked towards the covered statue and unveiled it true form. The Statue emerged from the dull covering and sparkled in the half down moonlight. Kawasaki snapped his fingers and the man in the trench coat stepped forward, towards the statue.

"This is my assistant, he is here to inspect the statue, you, know see if it's genuine," he explained to Zetsu and Hidan.

The man in the trench coat examined the statue for a while before nodding, indicating that it was the actual one made by Michelangelo himself.

"Very well," he faced the two men, "as you have requested, forty million American dollars, in cash split into two luggages," he pointed to the two luggages he had in the corner.

Zetsu and Hidan took one each and started to heading off, before they were found out.

"One more thing," Kawasaki stopped them.

They paused in their step and got ready to face whatever that bastard was going to do to them.

"Nice working with you," he continued, "Mister McCabre and Mister Hallow."

* * *

"Hinata," Ino called from the bathroom, "HINATA!"

Sakura entered with a dazed look on her face, "she left early this morning," she yawned, "to prepare for the art exhibition."

Ino stopped brushing her teeth and looked at Sakura, "what? The art exhibition?"

Sakura nodded, squishing the Colgate on to her toothbrush.

"You know what this means?" her hands on both of Sakura's shoulders, her toothbrush clasped between her teeth, "Sai's going to be there. Sai! Sakura! Hahaha!"

Tenten came in yawning, "and to hear Sai's name so early in the morning," Tenten got her toothbrush, "where's Temari? Did anyone wake her up?"

The two looked at her like she had just said some life changing statement.

"She's over at Shikamaru's house," Ino reminded, "remember?"

* * *

The butler had brought her into a master bed room, far bigger than hers and led her to a wooden sliding door at the left wall of the room, "this is it Miss, Young Master's solution to your problem," he flung open the doors.

She stepped into the room which was apparently a walk in wardrobe and gasped, she had never seen anything more extravagant than this. White wooden drawers filled one of the four walls, decked with stockings of every color, swimwear of every design and undergarments of every size. On the opposite side hung a neat row of dresses ranging from different lengths and hues, all properly arranged in a neat order. Then there was also the wall that was facing her. It was filled with cells and cells of clothes, all color coordinated, hanging nicely in their individual cells. That the bottom was two racks of trousers, skirts, shorts etc. She slowly circled the dressing table that stood in the middle of the room.

"This place is way bigger than two class rooms joined together," she turned to the butler, "Shikamaru never told me that he had a departmental store in his home."

The butler chuckled, "that's because he doesn't, what till you see the wardrobe with the handbags, shoes and accessories, this place was way too small to fit everything Mrs Nara owns."

Her heart lurched, "Mrs Nara?" she repeated, "I thought I heard Mrs Nara."

"You did," the butler assured her, "that's Shikamaru's mother," he tired to suppress the shirk that was taking over his mouth, "don't fret, Young Master Nara is not bonded to any woman in any way."

She raised a brow, "I'm not fretting, I'm just…" she paused, "shocked at the thought that someone as young as me would have a spouse."

He grinned and decided not to argue, "yes, I guess you're right miss," he went in and pulled out a dress from the rack, "this?"

Temari shook her head, "have you ever seen me wear a dress before?"

He shrugged and pulled out a denim skirt, "and I suppose this is what you were looking for?"

She smiled, "plus tights."

* * *

On the wall hung a calendar. Today's date was circled with prominent red marker with Sai's handwriting next to it: rescheduled ART EXHIBITION TODAY. Sasuke sighed, maybe Sai might meet Ino there, and maybe she'll explain everything to him then. If he went.

Shino came in "it's going to rain, I suggest we get going before we get caught in a jam."

"What about Sai?" he muttered, "what if he gets caught in the rain and can never make it on time for the exhibition?"

Shino came next to Sasuke and held out Sasuke's raincoat to him, "I don't think he's planning to come."

Sasuke played with the fabric of his warm polyester raincoat, "he would love art more than any girl, if he could feel."

* * *

"Damn it," Sakura, Ino, Tenten and Hinata stepped into the jeep, "it's raining."

"Did you bring the umbrellas Hinata?" Ino asked, "I wouldn't want to get soaked."

Hinata nodded, "let's go, I wouldn't want to be caught in a traffic congestion and be late."

Sakura drove out of the drive way and headed for school. Listening to Leslie Mill's Radiowave.

"Oh Gosh," Ino squealed, "I LOVE this song."

Tenten laughed, "you love everything."

They stopped at the red light. A black car stopped next to them. It wasn't a routine, but strangely, there was this pulling sensation, they had to look at the driver. His radiating cool waves that were just too irresistible.

"Sai!" Ino screamed at the paled skin boy in the convertible, "oh gosh, it's you. You came back! Sasuke told me you ran away."

He didn't turn to look at her. He stared straight into the road, undeterred by anything. They looked at him and his ignorance. Seconds later, his hands rushed into his school bag which he had on the passenger seat to pulled out a sketch book and a pencil.

"Sai?" Ino called again, before watching him disappear behind them as the traffic light turned green.

He still didn't move his car.

"It's the fucking green light damn it," Tenten screamed, "what the hell is he thinking?"

There was a spot on the windshield. Sakura squinted and before she knew it, there were spots everywhere, all over the windshield, increasing in number.

"Fuck," Sakura muttered, "now it's raining. Perfect timing, just perfect. We're like so far from school damn it. This is about to the worst day, I swear."

* * *

"It's about to get worse for you Sakura," Sai muttered, as he stared at the picture he just drew, the vision.

Rainwater was slowly smudging his picture, but he could still tell what it was and he knew it wasn't going to be good. The car behind him honked, he looked back at the driver and smiled. It was Sasuke, the person he just wanted to see.

* * *

"I didn't know Shikamaru's mom owned a mini skirt," Chouji commented in the limo, "I didn't know that Shikamaru's mom was slim… I didn't-"

"Yes Chouji, we get it," Shikamaru interrupted him, "you don't know anything."

Chouji smirked, "but I do know one thing," he laughed, very hysterically, "one very cute little thing."

"And what is that?" Temari asked.

"I know that-"

"Yes, you know that," Shikamaru tried to cut Chouji off before he could finish his sentence, "I know what you know and what I know that you know will only be something that me, you and Temari knows. Get it?"

The Butler had opened the car door and he had an umbrella with him to shelter to three of them to the school doors. The got out and hid under the shelter of the huge umbrella.

"No," Temari glared at Shikamaru, "I don't get it."

"I mean I was tired and sleepy and I didn't know what I was saying or doing," Shikamaru said, trying his earnest to hint to her without making the atmosphere around them so awkward, "you know what I mean?"

She nodded, "oh, that," she switched her glare over to Chouji, "yeah, you better not tell."

They were walking to the overly and unusually crowded doors of the school. They had to scrutinize those people under those little black umbrellas just trying desperately to get into the school compounds. There were cameras and lots and lots of talking, there were also vans, those types they use to carry equipment when filming a movie. Those people were the press.

The students were all standing outside, under the rain, waiting for those reporters of move away so they can enter the warm confinements of the school.

"What in the world," Chouji muttered under his breath.

Someone must have turned and saw Shikamaru, cause before they knew it, the herd of reporters making a dash for them. They took a step back, hoping in some weird way their feet would just make a dash like them too.

The first reporter that had magically fast feet came up to them with her mike, "what do you say about the murder of your school mate Shiho?"

They looked at each other, stunned.

"What did you say?" Temari repeated, "she was… murdered?"

* * *

"Murdered," Anko tossed the newspaper on to the table, "yesterday. After she went back."

They looked up at her.

"From a friend's house," Anko muttered, eyeing them.

"We-"

"Temari!" Sakura budged into the room with the other three girls, "how was your night?"

She walked over to them with the newspaper and handed it to them, "do you know about this?"

She took it and read the headlines, her eyes widened at the words she had took in, "no. She was killed, in a coffin, with nails embedded in her body, a black- oh my god- cat was-"

"Wait," Temari stopped Sakura, "where was she killed again?

"In a cemetery."

"No, as in where did she die?" Temari asked again, "you said coffin?"

Sakura nodded.

She sat down on the nearest seat and rubbed her temples, sighing endlessly.

"What?" Tenten asked, "we had it with silent people. Just met one on the road. Gosh, those people think their so cool."

"Tamanaki sen pai died just like the Black Dahlia, except, it was revamped, much more, gory and sadistic," Temari explained, "haven't anyone noticed how someone in the history of myth and legends and shits died the same way as Shiho, except, less painful?"

"Who?" Chouji asked.

"Bloody Mary," Temari stated as a matter of factly, "she was in a coma, she woke up and found herself lying in a damned coffin, she tried to get out, but she couldn't, she was underground. The next morning, her father came and dug her out, but she was already dead."

Everyone that was listening nodded.

"Are you saying these cases are connected?" Ino asked.

Temari nodded, "that's the way it seems to me, The Black Dahlia, Bloody Mary, these are few of the most unforgettable murders that went down history. They are the inspiration for many horror flicks. In the Black Dahlia Movie, the killer is someone just brimming with sadistic pleasure, that person killed the Black Dahlia because he wanted to, because he was obsessed with her. In the history of Bloody Mary, her killer is her dad, he was a doctor and he killed her because he was the one who pronounced her dead- when the actual fact is, she isn't.

"The killer behind all this mess is someone who is a fucked up sadist, someone who is has an obsession, like the murderer of the Black Dahlia- but he is not obsessed with these girls, not it's quite the contrary, he is obsessed with killing.

"And not only that, this person is someone that know us, that knows who he is killing, this person is someone close. Compare it with Mary's murderer- her dad, he was someone close to her."

Sakura nodded, everyone, Chouji, Shikamaru, Ino and Tenten agreed with Temari's statement. She was right, it did make sense.

"Then this makes everyone in the school a culprit," Tenten said, "how would it be narrowed down?"

Shikamaru had a light bulb over his head, "the two killings, both victims are drained off their blood, mutilated like their someone's study of the human anatomy. This person who did all this is someone who is well versed in the human anatomy, the insides and the outsides, that's why this person can drain the blood off like a real doctor, dissect the body like it were a science experiment. If I'm not wrong, this murderer should be a student that majors in Biology."

"But what if this person isn't killing for the obsession of it," Sakura asked, "haven't you realized that this person has only been tackling girls?"

"Maybe boy's are too hard to handle?" Tenten said.

"I don't think that is the case, killing a boy would be as simple as killing a girl, you just need to catch them off guard," Sakura claimed, "what if this person really did want to examine the human body? What if this was for hands on experience? Think about it. This person could very well be a boy or a girl, by judging by the victims this person chose, it should be a boy, because if you wanted to study the human body in dept, you only can study your own gender, cause you have the body for it. But how do you study the opposite gender?"

The door to the opened, Kakashi walked in and demanded everyone take their place. Behind him were the two of the four brothers, Sasuke and Neji. The gang broke up their discussion and went to the seats to settle down. Kakashi stood there at the front of the class, behind his desk, crossing his hands. They were waiting for him to say something, they knew something wasn't right, Kakashi normally gave them free period during homeroom, but today was different, Kakashi had something to say.

"The recent killings," Kakashi started, "has alarmed the school greatly on the safety of the students. We realized that keeping you in the confinements of your homes isn't safe enough, that's why we decided to carry on with school as per normal. However, the school warns that idolism and fan girlism shouldn't be taken too far, we must reinforce that there is a limit to all this. Understand?"

"Understood," everyone moaned at his nagging.

He ran his hand through his hair, "no going out alone, be in groups, not twos, but groups, a pack. I don't want _you_ to get hurt."

"You mean 'us'," Sakura corrected, "you is singular and…"

"Ok Sakura," Kakashi sighed, "I get it," he looked around, "where's Hinata and Sai?"

Everyone looked at the bot of their seats, true enough, there was no one there to occupy them.

"Art exhibition," Neji said, "Sai wouldn't miss it for the world."

* * *

"Yes," Fumiko said to the phone, "yes, it's with my junior, Sakura. I'll get her to pass it to you. The Art room? Ok. Yes, the one back stage, I know."

She put down the phone and briskly walked towards Sakura's class. She knocked onto the door before entering.

"Good morning Kakashi sensei," she greeted, "I need Sakura to run and errand for me. I'm busy and she's the only one I have who can do it for me."

Kakashi nodded, "Sakura, you may go."

Sakura rammaged through her bag and took out a red bag Fumiko handed to her yesterday.

"Sakura," Fumiko said once they were out of the class, "I need you to run over to the Art Room and hand it to Deidara. Do you know who he is?"

Sakura nodded, "but which Art Room?"

Fumiko started walking away, she was needed urgently, "the one back stage," she shouted to Sakura before running off.

* * *

"_Eh Sasuke."_

He shifted in his seat, he remembered Sai telling him about something today morning.

"_Where is Neji and Shino?"_

"_They're going to be late," he shrugged, "you know them. Where have you been?"_

_Sai looked down, "contemplating life," he shook his head, "I need you tell you something that I saw."_

"_Visually or," he lowered his voice, "visionly?"_

_Sai rolled his eyes, "visionly. It's about Sakura. Keep an eye on her, I'm telling you to do it because you can, I'd be away, at the exhibition, so it's up to you. To save her."_

* * *

She wasn't very familiar with the backstage, she had never been backstage before. But from the school directory, she could tell that the art room was near by.

There was the door to backstage, it spooked her in a way, like it was some eerie mystery flick. She shook off the thought.

"Don't scare yourself," she thought, "there are people backstage, you know, like Deidara sen- pai."

She pushed the rusty door knob open and entered backstage. There was a long elongated hallway and from the looks of it, the art room was at the end to the left. Sakura couldn't see it but the school directory said it would be there.

She started to walk down the dark, empty hallway, looking at the drama club's props being stashed aside all over the place.

* * *

"_I don't know where she was, but I know it was dark. Very dark," Sai told Sasuke, "and long, there was a long walkway, like those runways models strut on, except, this is spookier."_

"Kakashi sen- sei," he raised his hand, "I just remembered that Sai needs something that I have in possession, can I pass it to him? It's for the exhibition."

* * *

There was a fake tree with real leaves, dried up leaves, those that you collect when they fall. Next to it was a black and gold screen on rollers with an oriental Chinese pattern.

Sakura walked further and almost scared herself when she passed a mirror. She stumbled back and caught herself before falling. It was a nice mirror. Elongated and oval shaped. She touched the framework. It was dusty, like no one had touched it for a very long time.

* * *

He turned around the corner, not know where he was supposed to be heading to.

"_Remember that mirror he saw in this movie?"_

"_What mirror? There are lots of movies with mirrors."_

"_The Ring. The one with Somora, or Sonora, I don't know what the hell is her name."_

"_There was a mirror in that movie? I thought she came out from a well?"_

"_No, no, listen, remember the tape that circulated? There was this short clip inside with her mom looking into this mirror and combing her long hair?" _

"_Oh yes the one with the nice framework."_

He knew where she was.

* * *

Seconds ago he saw a girly walk past his class, alone. He don't know why, but something started to boil in him. Something very tempting.

He clenched his fist, trying to discipline himself, but he forgot he had a knife in his hands and so it went right through his flesh.

"You're bleeding," Shino pointed out, "becareful you might get that wound infected."

He shook his head, not looking at Shino, "no it won't, when the platelets know that there's a damaged tissue, they produce an enzyme called Thrombokinase. These Thrombokinase would convert Prothrombin- an inactive enzyme- into Thrombin, another enzyme. These Thrombin would in turn convert Fibrinogen into Insoluble Fibrin Threads to entangle blood corpuscles and the whole mass forms a blood clot. Prevents foreign particles from entering my bloodstream. No infection then."

Shino nodded, he hadn't taken in everything that he had said, "yes… just say there would be a blood clot next time."

"I'll be going to the toilet," he muttered under his breath, casually sliding the knife into his pocket, hoping Shino wouldn't notice.

"You can leave the knife here."

He smiled, "nah, I have to wash it either way, so I might as well bring it with me, carry on with the experiment."

He left.

To chase after that girly with the pink hair.

* * *

"_Ok," Sasuke laughed, "so you saw Sakura in a dark place with a mirror and that's supposed to mean?"_

_Sai sighed, "I'm not done telling you. Behind Sakura, the mirror reflected someone, with spiky hair, you know like yours… maybe it's you I don't know."_

"_Maybe it's not."_

* * *

There was creaking sound.

Sakura spun around to see what it was, or rather, who. She noticed that the door was left ajar.

"I thought I closed the door?" she thought, before turning back to complete her errand, "I'll just get this done and over-"

Someone grabbed her hands from the back and covered her mouth with a handkerchief. She tried to fight back, but she couldn't, she was feeling sleepy and weak.

Sakura tried to fight despite her fatigue, she knew this was intentional, this person had some powder on the handkerchief to make her drowsy- she wasn't going to let him get away with this.

"Mmmmmhh," she tried to scream, but her voice was muffled, "mmmmhh!"

"What's that sweetie?" the person whispered into her ear, "you want me to let you go?" he paused and laughed quietly.

Her movements slowed down and she could fight back any longer. Her vision was blurry and the spooky walkway was moving, here and there. She couldn't control her mind, it felt like she had just spun around endlessly couldn't stop to save herself. Her mind was in a whirl. She felt giddy. And tired. Sakura could feel her lids giving way, that can't happen, but it did and before she passed out, the man told her one last thing.

"Funny how life imitates art," he said, "Milla and Shiho wanted me to let them go too."

"So you're the killer," she muttered, before completely losing her conscious.

"Sakura?" a voice trailed in from outside, "Sakura?"

He looked at the girl in his arms and the door. The guy was going to come through that door any moment and if he doesn't leave her here, he might get caught.

"Fuck this," he dropped Sakura on the floor and headed for the exit at the other end.

"Sakura?" he entered just to find someone disappear around the corner at the other end of the walkway, "HEY YOU! STOP!"

Sasuke started running for the guy, chasing him, but he stopped when he saw Sakura in a distance, lying unconscious on the floor. He decided to end his pursue and help Sakura up.

"Sakura," he knelt down beside her, "Sakura, are you ok?"

She didn't respond. He poked her face.

"Hello, Sakura, earth to Sakura," he waved his hand in front of her face, "are you joking or are you really dead?"

No response.

He patted her face, "hey Sakura, hey, wake the fuck up!"

She didn't budge. He lifted her up with all his strength and carried her in his arms. Sakura was heavier than she looks.

"I'll get you to the infirmary," he murmured, brushing her hair out of her face, "just wake up."

* * *

"… and when you add Sodium Hydroxide to Ammonium, there will no one precipitate formed, but on heating, ammonia gas is given off," he noticed one of his students was drifting from the lesson, "Yui, how do you test for Ammonia?"

Yui opened her half closed eyes and looked at the board, "erm… I… Ammonia turns moist red litmus to…" she was having double vision, she could be tired, "to…"

"To?" the teacher probed, "to what?"

"To…," her mind was hurting, like she had a clog in her artery that prevents her from thinking, "to…" she looked around but all she was a slow moving picture, blurry and slowly fading.

"Are you ok Yui?" the teacher was walking towards her.

She looked at Itachi who was next to her.

"Yui," his mouth seemed to say, she couldn't hear anything.

"Itachi…"

"Bring her to the infirmary," the teacher commanded Itachi, "she's passed out, something's wrong with her."

* * *

"Nurse," he barged into the infirmary, "please help h-," he paused to take in what he saw, "Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked up, "Itachi?"

* * *

"You have to protect Mitarashi Anko no matter what Kakashi," his boss screamed through the phone, "I heard that she slept over at your place last night or the night before, or… you know what I mean, she came to your place."

"Yes," Kakashi muttered.

There was grunting, "then did you grab the opportunity? To collect her blood sample? Her hair sample? Her bone sample?"

His eyes widened, "bone sample? What do you mean? That wasn't in the requirement!"

"It is now," his boss said, "go get it and get it quick, the scientists are fuming their complaining that they have to wait for you a little too long. Step on it Kakashi."

"Yes, sir," Kakashi said, "bye."

"Before that," the boss stopped Kakashi from hanging, "do you still remember what I told you? Remember what happened to her in the last mission you were assigned to, we don't want the same fate for Anko do we? This is the last chance to prove yourself again Kakashi, remember that all the time."

He hung up.

Kakashi laid back in his office chair and sighed. There were no other teachers in the staffroom, he was the only living thing there, besides the plants. He took his mug from the table, intending to have a sip of coffee.

"Now how the hell am I suppose to get a freaking bone sample," he thought to himself.

His mug was unusually light, he looked in it. It was empty. Strange, he had just filled it up.

"Unless," he thought and turned his chair around to face the cross hand Mitarashi Anko.

"I skipped Math," she said, "good thing you have coffee, I was getting tired."

Kakashi smiled, "but you had a full nights sl-"

"No," she interrupted him and glared at him with her piercing brown eyes, "I was fully awake last night Kakashi, I knew what you did."

He slapped his forehead, "no Anko, it is not-"

"Kage No Bu Jutsu Project," Anko interrupted him again, "you guys really want to clone me, don't you? Earlier on, that was just a deadly accurate hypothesis. Hah, I hit it, spot on."

Kakashi opened his mouth to protest, but he couldn't, he knew that she could see through his lies. Women are like man made lie detectors.

"Yes," he admitted, "but it wasn't my idea it was the boss's to create droids of the perfect human."

She nodded, sitting down on the couch in the teacher's lounge, facing him, "so I'm the perfect human? Intelligence, bad past, no family, no life. Just perfect."

He stood up and started walking towards her, he felt as though he was all part of this sick plan and that she was disgusted. With him. He felt so horrid, like it was all his fault for her misery, her pain, though she does seem like it, he knew she was hurting inside.

"I hate spies," she muttered, when he sat next to her, "every single one of them, idiots, they took me away from my parents, they killed my foster family, they made me feel so bad. So bad," she looked up at him, "but really, what the heck, if all you guys want is to have my blood, my hair, my bone, I'll give it to you. Cause you took away almost everything I used to own. All that's left is my face, my existence and really, I don't care about it anymore. I have nothing to live for. Everyone gives me pity, everyone forgets about me, good cause I don't need pity or any remembrance of sorts. Really Mitarashi Anko's life equates to worthless."

"Anko," Kakashi muttered, reaching out to touch her, "it's not like that, I… I have to do this. You see my father he's…"

Anko stood up before he could touch her, "I know about your father, I know more than you do. That fucking boss of yours told you that your father is exiled but he won't tell you where. Truth is, Kakashi, your father is not here anymore. Not here, not anywhere, not on this earth. He's dead."

"I don't get you Anko," he said, "are you saying that my father died?"

She shook her head, "more like killed. By who? Ask your boss, he must know."

Kakashi bit his lips, he has two problems on his hands. One was that his father is actually dead and he is binded by a bond that wouldn't bring his father back. The other, Anko hates him- and that was a bad thought, a bad fact, a death stricken feeling.

"I know it's not your fault Kakashi, but I still hate you like how I hate spies," she said opening the door and tossing him a tiny ziplock.

He looked at the ziplock, there were fingernails inside. Anko's fingernails. Anko's bones.

"Why?" he looked up at her solemn face, "why do you hate me?"

She took a deep breath, "I hate you, Kakashi," she paused, "because I love you."

She left and the door closed gently behind her.

Kakashi was enraged, not because he found out that Anko loved him, because he was angry at his fucking boss. He stomped over to his table and picked up the phone to ring his boss.

"Hello?" he heard his bosses voice, "Kakashi? What is it?"

"YOU FUCKER!" he screamed at his boss, banging his fist onto the table, his mug fell off and shattered to pieces on the floor, "YOU BLOODY ASSHOLE, BASTARD! WHY? WHY?" he asked in desperation, "why did you do this to me?"

His little tears soaked into the fabric of his mask.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me about my father?" he asked, trying to suppress most of his tears, "why didn't you tell me that before?"

"Kakashi," he asked, calmly, "who told you this?"

He clenched onto the telephone, "WHY THE FUCK SHOULD I TELL YOU?"

"Because I'm your boss."

"No," Kakashi muttered, "you're not my boss, there is no bond, there is no deal, you would never get her DNA, you will never touch her, you will never create another her, fuck off."

"You're not my only agent," the boss said, "I can send other agents in your place to complete your mission."

Kakashi's breath was heavy. He was right, he had reinforcements, and he might send someone to hurt Anko again, like how he had successfully done.

"ANKO," he dropped the phone and ran after her, "ANKO!"

* * *

"I can't wait until the exhibition," Ino squealed, "oh god, Sai!"

"Calm down," Temari slammed Ino's table, "you've been talking about him non stop all day long, it's getting my nerves."

"And mine too," Kiba said, "you're more annoying than Lee on a 'youthful' day."

"What did you say?" Naruto snapped, "Inuzuka Kiba!"

Kiba smirked, "turn back, Hinata is trying to teach you SIMPLE algebra."

Naruto obeyed and shifted his attention back to Hinata, "yes, you were saying about factorization. What about that?"

She smiled at him, "yes, factorization. Well this is an example…"

She was talking but he wasn't listening. That smile she had given to him was charming. It made him weak and chilly inside. It was like ice skating in summer, so breezy yet so warm. Why was it giving him that cool feeling? Maybe it was her eyes, the ones that looked like Neji's, the pale lilac colored one, almost white. Like winter, like ice. And her skin, was as fair as snow. That's why it was cooling.

"Get it?" she looked at him, "cross multiplication is the key."

"What? I thought you were talking about factorization? When did cross multiplication come in?" Naruto asked.

Hinata raised a brow, "weren't you listening? What were you doing the whole time I was explaining?"

Naruto bit his lips, "er… Neji was distracting me."

Neji tuned to look at Naruto when he heard his name, "what did you say numbskull? I was distracting you? Well sorry for being so attractive to you."

Naruto turned red, "no, I'm not attracted to you, I'm totally not gay! Let me get this right, I like girls, I'm totally straight, as straight as a pole as straight as a quadratic equation!" he smiled at his so- called intelligence.

Kurenai slammed her fist on the table, "a quadratic equation gives you a curved graph, Uzumaki."

Neji smirked, "so you're not so straight after all."

Naruto wanted to protest, but Kurenai stopped him, "get back to peer tutoring. All of you."

Naruto sat down, frowning at his defeat.

"Now before we were interrupted," Neji turned back to Tenten, "coordinate geometry. Err… yes graphs. When 'ax' has a power of negative 2, the graph would look like this…"

He drew the graph on his sketch pad, "here."

Tenten was silent, staring hard at the graph.

"Tenten," he shooked her.

She looked at him with one eyebrow raised, "is this why you're so good at math?"

Neji shook his head, "I don't get you."

Tenten pointed to the graph Neji drew, "this graph looks like ovaries."

"What the f-" Neji said, "whatever, so if you see… see… _ovaries_, you would know that this is the graph when ax is powered to negative 2. Get it?"

She nodded, "mathematicians are perverts."

Neji shot a glance at her direction, "what? Perverts? You're the pervert Miss Ten, I have never, in my whole life thought that this graph looks like freaking girl's ovaries. And now that you said it, every time I see this graph the first thing I think about is ovaries."

"Now you'll pass biology too," Tenten smiled, trying to brighten up the situation, "isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"

Neji felt like strangling her. She was definitely a curse the demons had sent to him. Invading his life with 10s and corrupting his dear mind.

"I feel like I'm sitting next to a boy," Neji muttered, "you sure act like one."

Tenten snorted, "well I feel like I'm sitting next to a girl, you and your long, black hair. I mean which boy learns first aid?"

"Which girl plays football?"

"About every single one of them," Tenten fought back.

Neji looked around the class, "honestly, I can't see Ino roughing through terrains. Her nails might break she may have split ends. I don't think every girl plays football. And you better be thankful that there are people out there who are willing to learn first aid. When you footballers get injured, you're helpless. You still seem like a boy either way."

Tenten's eyebrows twitched, "and you don't feel obliged to kiss a 'boy'?"

Neji's mouth just fell open. He had wished to never be reminded of that incident; it was embarrassing and uncalled for. He looked away and scowled, he had to or else he might blush out of mortification. His mind was scavenging for something witty and quick to reply her, but it all seemed to have frozen solid. People were talking endlessly, they're words filled his mind and screwed the whole think process even more. Hinata and Naruto were having an easy time, smiling and giggling, as if they wanted to remind him of the magnitude of his embarrassment. He looked in another direction. Well Kiba and Kankuro were sure jolly. They seem to click very well, probably because they were the weirdest dressers in the class and because they both have tattoos that decorated their face- not so nicely.

"Evil happy people," he muttered, "tormenting me eh?"

He diverted his attention to Lee the lone soul. Sitting at the corner of the class, with no partner. No partner.

"Where is Sasuke?"

* * *

Itachi had laid Yui on the bed in the infirmary, next to Sakura's bed.

"Sasuke," Itachi called, breaking the almost unbearable silence, "erm… has anyone told you that you looked alot like me?"

Sasuke looked at Itachi's expression, he couldn't tell if Itachi wanted Sasuke to look like him or not, "yes. Many times."

Itachi nodded and glanced at Yui. Sasuke watched him.

"What happened to her?" Sasuke asked to cover up the silence.

Itachi jerked, "oh, she fainted during the lesson," he looked at the time, "where the hell is the nurse?"

Sasuke shrugged, "I'm waiting too."

Itachi eyed Sakura, "what about her? She fainted too?"

Sasuke sighed and looked at Sakura, "I really don't know, I just found her there, lying on the ground, unconscious. I think… think, well someone did this to her."

Itachi leaned in closer, as if asking for more.

"Well when I found her, there was someone else there, around us, but I don't know who," Sasuke said, trying to recreate the scene, "you see, it was backstage and it was dark, I couldn't make out the figure. But that person was running away, running away from me. He obviously knew that Sakura was there, she couldn't have been following him, she was supposed to run an errand for Fumiko sen- pai."

Itachi gave Sasuke a serious look, "and why were you there?"

Sasuke's eyes widened, he was shocked, caught unprepared, he had never thought of a rational reason for him to be there, "because I was worried."

"About?"

"Her," he said, partially telling the truth, "there's a killer on the loose, in our school and… I don't want Sakura to suffer the same fate as…"

Itachi nodded, "Milla."

He knew Milla was Itachi friend and Yui's too, they must've been devastated about the death, "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault," he pointed to Sakura, "you better watch her."

Sasuke saw that Sakura was perspiring cold sweat, unconsciously.

Sasuke went over to her side, "Sakura, eh, Sakura," he tore off a piece of tissue from it's box and wiped her sweat away, "Sakura, what the fuck is happening to you. Eh, I'm not trained to held these situations like you are," he turned to Itachi, "what do I do?"

Itachi shook his head, "I don't know what to do, I don't think it's that big of a deal anyway."

Sasuke glared at him, "Sakura saved my life once, she saved me because you almost killed me. Now, I think it's only right if I save her from that damn sicko going around killing little girlies, I don't want that to happen to her."

"Have you ever asked yourself, why?"

Sasuke looked away, "I try to ignore that."

"Tell me Sasuke," Itachi asked, "are you adopted?"

"Yes," Sasuke muttered, "someone told you that?"

"No," Itachi said, "I lost my brother 15 years ago."

He felt something thick and viscous slide down his arm. It was blood.

"Sakura," he sat her up, "Sakura," he ran out of the room and saw the nurse making her way over, "nurse you got to help her something is fucking wrong!"

* * *

He found her, squatting in a corner near the school's archery field, with her bow and arrows next to her.

He sat down next to her, "you ran away really quickly."

"You were just too slow," she muttered, giving him hardly enough attention.

He scoffed, "really? I-"

"They're after me now, aren't they?" she asked, "I better save myself."

She reached for her bow, but her hand met his. She looked up at him. He had a very soft face on, like he was apologetic. She didn't like that.

"They're after me too," Kakashi said, "I called him and what you said was true, that my dad, he… he has died."

"You mean murdered," Anko corrected.

Kakashi bit his lips, "yes, umm… murdered. So now, I refuse to work for them and well, let's just say I owe you one."

She shook his hand off and stood up with her bow, before picking her arrows, she looked down at him and frowned, "you don't owe me anything, you gave me quite a lot."

"Where are you going?" Kakashi asked, since it was so damn obvious she wasn't coming back to school anymore, "hey."

Anko stopped on her tracks and turned to face Kakashi, "I have something to check up on."

Kakashi walked up to her, "but they'll get you."

Anko shook her head, "not when I'm in Suna."

* * *

Sakura took a sip of water the nurse had handed to her. She got up from the bed and rest against the headboard.

Sasuke waited for her finish that glass of water before asking her about the incident.

"Eh," he said, as the nurse turned to attend to Yui, "what happened?"

Sakura looked at him, "I really thank you. Alot. Thank you. I think you might have saved me from that… that killer. But," she frowned, "how did you know where I was?"

He smiled, he had thought of a perfect excuse while the nurse was trying to awake her, "I followed you. Kakashi sen- sei told me to, remember, he said we can't go around school alone? That's how I found you, unconscious, backstage," he leaned in closer towards her, "do you know who he is? Name? Class? Description?"

Sakura closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her locks, "it was so dark, I couldn't see his face, but I knew he had seen me walk by and followed me, I thought it was nothing. He told me that he was the one who killed Milla sen- pai and Shiho. When he spoke, his voice was rough and deep and I know he's quite huge."

They were distracted by the nurse gasping.

"Take her to the hospital," she told Itachi, "I think there's something wrong with her."

"Yui sen- pai?" Sakura called, but Yui didn't respond, she was still unconscious, "Itachi, was she-"

"No," Itachi cut her off, "she fainted during class," he looked at his watch, "the art exhibition started, you guys should go see it since Sakura looks pretty fine, Deidara would like your support."

* * *

The freshmen were given this time allocation to view the art exhibits in the school's gallery. It was important that every student gets a chance to appreciate the arts.

They went in classes, their class was second in line, and when it came to their turn, they entered the art gallery only to be welcomed by a blood splattered painting. Most of them were disgusted, it was so obviously blood, not red paint, and it covered parts of the painting. But when they actually took a closer look, it was a spellbinding, romantic and melancholy piece of work.

"Hi," Hinata appeared, "we're your guide around the gallery today," she beckoned to her partner, Sai.

Tenten covered Ino mouth to prevent her from screaming out Sai's name in the heat of the moment, it would be too embarrassing for him- apparently not. Sai smiled and quite obviously waved to Ino in front o f the whole class.

"Well, this is the center piece for today's art exhibition," he pointed to the blood splattered painting, "this is drawn by Deidara sen- pai for the pass Milla sen- pai."

He was so nonchalant, like it was nothing that Tamanaki Milla had died so gruesomely.

"Initially," Hinata said, "the painting was of a girl in the clouds playing a white grand piano," she pointed to the different parts of the picture to get more clarity, "however, coincidentally, this picture was there when… the… incident took place and so, the blood shed was splattered quite naturally and evenly throughout the painting. What used to be a light hearted, beautiful piece has turned into a depressing, melancholy one."

They moved on to the next art piece and just when Hinata was about to explain what it is all about, the guide from the early group came up to Sai and whispered something into his ear. He bore a neutral expression, while Hinata, who was listening, was soaked in horror.

"Another one?" Hinata whispered to the guide, "but Deidara sen-pai's is the only one…"

"You should come have a look," the guide muttered, "it's nothing to do with the theme, I can't think of anyone who drew this."

Sai hesitated, but he went anyway. Hinata followed and so did the rest of the class. They walked a few pictures ahead before reaching a picture at a corner surrounded by students from the earlier class, pointing and chatting and taking pictures.

"Make way," the guide pushed through the crowd with Sai and Hinata behind him, "this is it."

Sai and Hinata were greeted by the darkest picture in the gallery- splashed with blood of every shade. Their class too made their way to the front to get a clearer picture of the painting.

"Oh my fuck," Kiba muttered, "what the hell…"

Sai went closer to the picture and examined a corner of it, "yes," he said after a moment, "it's blood. Who drew this thing?"

Everyone was staring at a black and red picture of a man with a wide grin stretching from mouth to mouth, holding a chainsaw on his hands, driving it through a person that wasn't in the picture.

"Hey isn't that the Joker?" Kankuro said, "from Batman? Cool!"

After Kankuro had mentioned it, the people around started agreeing so. The man in the picture did look like the Joker from Batman, except this guy was much more… intimidating and blood thirsty.

Tenten noticed that Temari was deep in thought, she was looking at her fingers and busy twisting them around, like there was something that needed recalling. The three of them were at the back of the crowd, it was too congested for them to squeeze through.

When the three of them saw the picture, their reactions were rather so quite different. Ino, for starters, was really horrified, so much so she almost vomited out of disgust. Tenten had to hold on to her just in case Ino fainted. Tenten she just looked at it like it was something ordinary work of art, not amused and undeterred by it's gory vide. Temari, on the other hand, felt that the face was awfully familiar, like she had seen it before, but she doesn't know where.

"Have you seen that face before?" Tenten asked, seeing Temari wreaking her brain, "is it _that_ familiar?"

She nodded, "I've seen it before and NOT in Batman."

The image flashed in her mind. A colored picture of the same man, hung on to the wall of a very grand house.

"Ok," Temari said, "all I know is that the movie this face so happens to be in stars Hilary Swank. She was in the scene the face appeared in."

"Well Hilary Swank acted in The Reaping," Tenten offered, "P.S I Love You, Freedom Writers… That's it I guess."

Temari gave her a face, "that's it?" she repeated, "that's it? Gosh, how many movies have you watched?"

"Lesser than what you have."

"She acted in the 1994, The Next Karate Kid, 1999, Boys Don't Cry, 2000, The Gift, 2001, The Affair of the Necklace, 2002, Insomnia, 2003, 11:14 and The Core, 2004, Red Dust, 2006," she looked at Tenten like she had finally found her answer, "The Black Dahlia."

Tenten nodded her head, shocked, "and she does it chronologically."

"You're starting to scare me," Ino said, "movie maniac."

Temari ignored her, "look at that insignia on his collar," she pointed to the picture, "what does it look like?"

"It's circular with a 't' in the middle," Tenten described what she saw, "a target point?"

Temari nodded, "the picture never did have a target point on the guy's collar," she said, "it's from another movie, based on a true crime, Zodiac," another thing caught her eyes, "a chainsaw, as in Texas Chainsaw Massacre? That was inspired by Ed Gein. And the mirror, behind him, that's Bloody Mary."

"Yes," Ino said, "the legend thingy, er… if you kind of spin around this mirror three times saying 'Bloody Mary' she'll come after you. So this means that…"

They waited for her to say something.

"… I don't know what this means," Ino laughed, "but so far no one has been killed using the Zodiac and the Ed Gein style."

"True," Temari agreed, "but the Zodiac, he shoots people dead, there isn't any style in that. But Ed Gein he… does bad things. The next target would probably be skinned alive, like how most of his victims are."

Ino covered her mouth, "what? Oh My…" she caught sight of Sasuke and Sakura coming towards the crowd, "Sakura! What took you so long?"

"Someone… I mean the killer almost got her," Sasuke lowered his voice.

"But Sasuke was there and…" Sakura was cut off as Ino pounced on her and hugged her, "Ino?"

"Oh thank god Sasuke was there," Ino tried not to cry, she couldn't stand the thought of Sakura being skinned alive, "something bad might have happened."

Sakura pushed her away, "something bad? As in?"

The three girls hesitated.

"I think the killer wanted to skin his next victim," Temari muttered, beckoning to the painting.

Sasuke went over to Sai, who was at the front.

"No wonder all the victims blood has been drained off," Sai told Sasuke, "he wanted to paint a picture."

* * *

"Why Suna?" Kakashi asked when they were on board the train to Suna.

After leaving school, the two of them hurried over to Kakashi's house to pack up some things, he knew that the next time he came back, they'd all be in ashes.

Anko laid her head on his shoulder and he stroked her deep purple hair.

"I need to confirm my suspicions," Anko muttered, closing her eyes.

"Suspicions?" he repeated, "what suspicions?"

Anko sighed, "remember there was a war 15 or 16 years ago? Well, Suna was part of the war and there were fighting most of it. Back then, the Kazekage had a baby daughter, he wanted to protect her so he sent for someone to securely bring her to Konoha to ensure her safety. This person was assassinated in Konoha."

"Yes," Kakashi said, "I remember but what are you going to do about it?"

Anko looked at Kakashi's face even if it was behind a mask, "what happened to the baby?"

Kakashi kept silent.

Anko smiled, "I think I know who she is, but… I need to confirm it."

Kakashi shifted in his seat, "how do you know?"

"Well," Anko explained, "the Kazekage did have two children after the war ended, didn't he? And even though he spent his remaining years looking for his baby girl, he couldn't find her, cause the only person who knows where she is-"

"Was assassinated," Kakashi completed, "we know that the Kazekage was close to find the whereabouts of his daughter, but he was too assassinated."

"So both of his sons decided to carry on with the project and find their sister," Kakashi said.

Anko grinned, "and who do we know comes from Suna?"

Kakashi's mouth fell open, "Gaara and Kankuro. They're here to find they're sister."

* * *

A/N: Done for this chapter. Sorry it took a long time, my exams just ended. Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed this.

Review!


	15. Episode Fifteen: Lonely

A/N: Wrote a chapter of _La Rousette: The Hotel Mystery_ and a chapter of _The Fame _and a chapter of _War Strategies_. *Lifts head high in the air* I'm sooo efficient. Shoot me. I was joking. Don't kill me please. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: You know the drill, I don't own Naruto!

* * *

"Doctor," Itachi called when the doctor appeared from the enclosed ward, "doctor, is it very bad? What happened?"

The doctor sighed a regretful sigh, "you said you're her boyfriend?" Itachi nodded firmly, "well, Mr. Uchiha, it is my sincere apology to inform you that Miss Angela Yui has been diagnosed with cancer- Leukemia."

Itachi's eyes widened. It was like finding a polar bear in the Sahara desert, totally strange, totally weird, totally unexpected. He didn't know how to take this. Is this a joke? Is this a prank? Where is the camera crew? How can this happen? Of all people, why must it be Yui?

"How bad is it?" Itachi asked, only to realize that his voice had deteriorated into a soft quiver, "can she be saved?"

The doctor hung his head and shook it, "I'm afraid not, her illness has been in her body for far too long. How is it that you never realized? If she had came earlier she could've been saved."

Thoughts raced through his head like a bullet train on a hectic schedule. She hasn't been looking weak. Her medical history had always been perfectly ok. But… leukemia, and now, at this time of grief. Is he doomed to be the second Deidara?

"Another thing," the doctor broke him from his thoughts, "her illness has been spreading at a rapid speed, I believe the involvement of steroids has something to do with it."

"Steroids?" Itachi repeated, "what steroids?"

The doctor gave him a very astounded look, "well we found traces of steroids in Miss Angela's urine sample."

* * *

The art exhibition had been called off. Everyone was immediately sent to their classrooms to be watched under the hawk like eyes of their form teacher. But for their class, the supposedly 'hawk like teacher' didn't appear.

Principal Tsunade entered the classroom, "Kakashi I need-" she stopped when she realized that Kakashi wasn't there, "where is you're form teacher?"

The students shook their heads, they didn't know.

Tsunade grumbled something under her breath, "ok then, I'll take the attendance, Shizune will take care of this class. Look around, is anyone missing?"

Chouji raised his hand, "my partner, Mitarashi Anko, she's missing. She was here today morning, she said she was going to see Kakashi during math."

Tsunade squinted, "what did you say? Anko? Seeing Kakashi? What for?"

"I don't know," Chouji said, "but after that, I never saw her, she wasn't even there during the art exhibition."

Tsunade frowned and turned to Shizune, "give Kakashi a call, I need to find out where the both of them are," she lowered her voice, "who knows the murderer got the two of them too."

Shizune gasped and immediately took out her handphone to get hold of Kakashi.

Tsunade turned back to the rest of the class, "we'll get to the bottom of this. At the mean time, I would like you kids to stay in class, revise your work, play, do anything, but you can't leave the classroom, not for toilet breaks, not to see me- because I won't call for anyone, I will come to your class personally. Get it? Shizune will take over," she looked at Shizune who was leaning against the wall outside the classroom with her handphone stuck to her ear, "is he answering?"

* * *

Kakashi felt his pocket vibrating, it was his phone. He took it out and looked at the caller ID- Shizune. He looked at Anko, waiting for her to say something, to do something, cause the only thing he wants to do right now is listen to Anko, like a pet dog, _her_ pet dog.

Anko acknowledge his gaze took the phone and received the call.

"Vello," she spoke in an accurate Indian accent, "vho iz thiz?"

Shizune raised a brow, Kakashi clearly wasn't Indian. She looked at Tsunade and passed the phone over to her.

"Hello?" Tsunade said.

Anko made a face and covered the speaker, "it's Tsunade," she whispered to Kakashi, "yes, yes, vello? Vat do you vant? I am a vely busy voman you know!"

"Sorry," Tsunade said, "is this Kakashi's phone?"

Anko suppressed her laugh, "Kakavi? Vhat Kakavi? This is Vakshini Vashti Vameshitakushina! No Kakavi here."

Tsunade was beginning to suspect something, "what was your name again?"

Anko smirked, "so Tsunade is testing me eh?" she thought to herself.

Kakashi nudged her, "what's wrong?"

Anko went back to the phone, "My name? You asking me my name? It's Vakshini Vashti Vameshitakushina. Vemember that!"

She hung up and passed the phone back to Kakashi, "done. Next time she calls, you pick up and say your Vakshini Vashti Vameshitakushina's husband. Haha, what fun."

* * *

Tsunade frowned, "two possibilities: one, Kakashi changed his number. Two, the Indian bitch I was speaking to was Anko. Tell me Shizune, what do you think?"

Shizune thought for a while, "two?"

Tsunade nodded, "that was what I thought. They might be the murderers."

Shizune's eyes widened, "what-"

"There's no time to waste Shizune," Tsunade cut her off, "I'll inform the police, take care of this class for me, will you? Thanks."

Tsunade left, leaving puzzled Shizune to care for the second best class in the level. She entered to classroom, only to find them all scattered around in their awfully distinctive cliques. She took a seat at the teacher's table and observed the different people in each clique. It was then she decided that she should get to know these students a little more.

Shizune stood up, clapped as loudly as she could to get the students attention, "hello, students, I'm Shizune, you can call me that, I'm not a teacher," she look at all their expectant faces, "ok. I just want to know you guys better, you know, talk about stuff… What about you ask me three questions about myself? Can we go with that?"

Everyone went back to their seat and watched her silently. Ino raised her hand.

"Shizune," she said, "do you have a boyfriend?"

Shizune blushed, she didn't expect them to be asking these type of questions, "well, no. I don't. I'm still young, I won't be having one at this age."

Ino frowned, "what are you implying? That it is wrong to have a boyfriend at such a young age? I mean my friend here slept with a boy just yesterday!" she pointed to Temari.

There was a wide spread 'ohh…' that went all over the class.

Temari's mouth fell wide open and she shot Chouji a look. Chouji shook his head, completely innocent.

"I didn't sleep with anybody, Ino," Temari said defensively.

Gaara and Kankuro exchanged glances and nodded.

"What?" Shizune snapped, "you slept with a boy? But you're underage! How old is the boy?"

Kiba answered for her, "I have a high suspicion it would be Shikamaru."

Shizune gasped, "Prodigy Nara?"

"He hates it when people call him that," Temari said, "but that's not the point. I didn't and had never slept with Shikamaru, or any boy for the matter."

Shizune nodded thoughtfully, "ok then, I trust you…"

"Temari," she said, "My name is Temari."

"Right, Temari," Shizune said, "lets get on with the next question."

Naruto raised his hand.

"What happened to Anko?" he asked.

She was stumped. It is something that has to be confirmed, yet again, Tsunade didn't say she couldn't tell them.

"Well," Shizune started, "we have reason to believe that she left with Kakashi."

"You mean _elope_?" Matsuri asked, "that's so romantic. I've always thought that there was something going on between those two people!"

Shizune was confused, "what do you mean?"

"It's so obvious that youthful Kakashi likes Anko better than all of us," Lee said angrily, "when we have to hand in any youthful assignments, he would always pester us to hand it in, he never did pester Anko even though she _never_ does her homework."

Chouji nodded in agreement, "yes, and she's always skipping classes to see him. Always. She gives stupid excuses like 'Kakashi needs me to type a report for him', 'Kakashi can't find the class register, I know where it is', 'Kakashi wants to see me regarding my performance' but the best of the best excuse: 'I'm going to check up on Kakashi'. It's like she's his wife or something, she needs to look for him ALL the time!"

Sakura raised her hand, "today when Kakashi sen-sei was briefing us on safty measures, he said 'I don't want _you_ to get hurt'," Sakura said, "and when he said 'you' he was looking at Anko."

"Yeah," Kiba said, "I noticed that too. It's like he doesn't care about any of us but… _her_."

Temari slapped her forward, "are you guys _tattling_?"

Tenten turned around, "yeah, that's so lame."

"No we're not," Ino argured, "we're just stating the suspicious behaviors we noticed."

Sai leaned towards Ino, "I think they're cannibalistic lovers on a killing rampage."

Ino giggled, she remembered the incident that occurred today morning, "hey what happened today morning? We were calling you but you didn't answer us. You were like in a trace or something scary looking state."

Sai realized that they had seen him having a vision, "well," he said trying to think of an excuse to cover up, "I was too busy thinking about you I completely forgot where I was. Everything was blocked out, it was just my imagination and me."

Ino gasped, "what? Are you serious? That's so sweet! Oh my lord, I can't believe you still think of me after how I treated you, imagine how you must've felt. Gosh I feel so guilty."

He frowned, "how I must've felt," he thought to himself, "dear little Ino doesn't know I can't 'felt'."

"Ino," he smiled at her, "I must tell you that my feelings have been immuned when I was very young. I can't feel joy, sadness, pride, guilt, frustration, pity, worry and many other things. Really, I can't, but I want to. I think if I find the greatest feeling of all and start to feel it, I think finding all the other feelings would be a breeze," he said calmly, like it was nothing to be worried about, "Sasuke tells me that the greatest feeling is _love_ and thank god I found you. I'm trying to love you, trying very, very hard to. Because with logic, I know that if I did have feelings, I would love you."

Ino kept quiet for a while, "that's the saddest thing I ever heard, Sai. Imagine the misery you must be feeling."

Sai smiled, "I feel no misery, dear. The book says calling someone pet names makes the two of you closer."

She grinned, "yes, it does."

* * *

School is over. Tsunade had informed the police and decided that she couldn't keep the children locked in the confinements of their classroom forever so she allowed the students to be released from their classes.

"What the hell Ino," Temari scolded Ino, "who the fuck told you I slept with Shikamaru?"

Ino pointed to the pink haired girl in front of them, shuddering away, trying to escaped.

"Haruno Sakura," Temari called, which made Sakura stop in her tracks, "who'd ever thought you'd be one to spread rumors. For heaven sake Sakura don't jump into conclusions today, when I'm sleeping over at his house, it doesn't mean that we're going to have sex. Gosh. Were you out of your mind!"

Sakura frowned, "well if you spend more time with your friends instead of your boyfriend, maybe my mind will come back to me."

Temari made a face, "now you're blaming me? So what if I spend more time with Shikamaru? At least he makes me feel like I'm there! With you guys, I'm always so transparent."

"Because you hardly speak woman!" Sakura stomped her foot, "what do you want me to do? Force you to speak?"

"Well you can always-"

Tenten honked the car, "stop it you two! Get on the car or we're going to leave without you!"

Sakura looked at Temari and took in a deep breath, "well I'm sorry ok? I'm sorry I blamed you for spending sometime with a guy you like…"

"I don't like Shikamaru," Temari muttered.

"Ok, fine a guy you love- and don't say you don't love him- and I'm sorry for making you feel transparent," Sakura said, "let talk about when we get back."

Temari bit her lips, "about that…"

Sakura placed her hand on her hips, "what now? You're going with your boyfriend again? Wait, he's not even officially your boyfriend why do you have to spend every second of the day with him?"

Temari looked at the watch, "I need to see Pochi today, it's my turn to take care of him."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "oh right, I forgot, the couple has a dear child."

"Sakura," Ino warned, "don't be so sarcastic."

Sakura shook her head, "well I almost got killed today and all you can tell me was that I would've gotten skinned alive. How comforting."

She headed to the car and realized that Hinata was missing.

"Where's Hinata?" she asked Tenten.

"She's going to Naruto's house to tutor him Algebra," Tenten said.

Sakura was angry, "what now Hinata got herself a boyfriend too? Oh my fucking life. Drive Tenten, next thing I know, you're fucking with Neji."

Tenten decided that it was wise not to argue and started to drive away, leaving Temari behind.

* * *

She started heading for Shikamaru's limousine, but she was approached by even more trouble.

"Temari," Gaara called her.

She stopped, curious about he has to say to her, considering the fact that he ever hardly talks to her.

"Yes?" she noticed Kankuro was with him.

"Did you really sleep with Nara?" Kankuro asked her, "cause if you did, I swear I'll bash that bastard up."

Temari didn't understand anything now, "what the hell do you guys want? So what if I slept with Shikamaru? Do you have a problem with it? You guys are just so troublesome."

Gaara inhaled a breath of stale, dry air, "watch it Temari, he's starting to rub off on you."

"What do you want?" Temari snapped, "I'm not in a good mood now. I just fought with my best friend and everyone thinks that I sexed Shikamaru. And now I have two of my classmates up in front of me, beating around the bush, refusing to get to the point."

"We're your brothers Temari," Gaara said calmly, "I know it might be hard to believe, but you are our sister, the one to be Kazekage."

Temari scoffed, she couldn't believe this, "Kazekage? Seriously? What? And my father is the king of Scotland? Is that true too?"

"Not our father," Kankuro laughed, "our great great grandfather."

Temari rolled her eyes and tried to walk away, but the two boys were blocking her. She moved again and yet they continued to block her way.

Her phone started to ring. She looked at the caller ID- Shikamaru, just in time.

"Hello?" she answered the call, "yes, I know, but Gaara and Kankuro are blocking me, how do you expect me to get to you?"

"What? Are they going to… rape you?" Shikamaru asked, completely out of the joking manner.

Temari looked at the two of them, "I hope not."

"Is that Nara?" Kankuro asked, "fuck off Nara."

"I'll be right there," Shikamaru said, "kick, punch, bash, twist, flip, slap, anything but fuck."

Temari rolled her eyes and put down the phone.

"We need you to come back to Suna," Gaara explained, "we need you to come back and govern Suna, we can't have Suna without a Kazekage for too long."

"You know what?" Temari said, "you guys seem like you're serious and I am going to believe you for a few seconds here. Now explain."

"Well you think that you're adopted and it's true, you're adopted," Gaara said, "your real parents lost you during a war. Suna was a very dangerous place, so in order to protect you, Temari, our parents sent you to Konoha, where you'll be hidden until you're safe, but the person who hid you got assassinated and we lost all forms of connection with you. We've been trying to find you and here you stand, alive and healthy. Do you believe me now?"

Temari thought for a moment, "actually no. This is all too movie- like. You know Anastasia? Oh lost Princess since birth, her family got killed by Rasputin, doesn't know who her real parents are and was raised in a orphanage! She meets Demitri a conman and falls in love with him and tadaa! She finds her family! Happy ending. How touching!" she was boiling with sarcasm, "I'm not Anastasia, but if I am, you," she pointed to Gaara, "would be Rasputin and you," she pointed to Kankuro, "would be Bartok."

Gaara raised a brow, "and Shikamaru is Demitri?"

"If I get lucky," Temari sighed dramatically, "please just leave me alone. Yipee I finally confirm that I'm adopted. Yipee Shikamaru is my prince charming. Serious? What difference does this make to my life?"

"TEMARI!" Shikamaru called her.

She grinned and looked at the two of them, "Frankly I was damn pissed today and I know I've been using sarcasm like it's a language, but you both gave me something to laugh at and I thank you! My Prince Charming has came! Now if you would please, excuse this thoroughly annoyed princess."

She walked passed them and came to Shikamaru's side before running off like mad idiots.

"Prince Charming?" Shikamaru asked.

"Don't bother going into the details," Temari said as she entered the limousine, "next thing I know, we're to get married."

"That sounds like a good prospect, marrying a troublesome woman," Shikamaru nodded, "I don't understand what you had just said."

Temari looked around and spotted that fur ball lying in the corner. It pounced on her once it saw Temari and curled up nicely in her lap. She stroked it and ran her fingers through it fur.

* * *

They were walking past the museum where many police cars lined the street. The two of them slowed down their pace and observed the frantic museum owner, running around the vicinity.

"Excuse me," a policeman called the two of them, "excuse me."

They stopped and turned to face the fat, stumpy policeman.

"If you have any idea where the Statue of David is," he handed them a poster, "please call the authorities."

They looked at the poster. And exchanged the same grim expression.

"There is a reward?" the woman asked, "a reward of 40 million?"

"Yes," the policeman said, "it's a very precious piece of art work. Have you seen it?"

The male step forth, "well I do recall seeing a few people pushing a strange looking thing into a dark alley, I was there because I was sending my girlfriend home, you know how dangerous it gets at night."

Policeman turned eager, pulled out a pen and a notebook from his pocket, "what are your names?"

"She's Konan, and I'm Pein. Nice to work with you."

* * *

"Then you use equation 1 and substitute it into equation 2 and there you have it," Hinata wrote on the paper, "the answer for the unknown X. Do you get this? It's like 2 pencils and one pen cost… say 2 dollars and one pen and one pencil cost 1.50 dollars. So, to find the cost of one pencil you…"

"Take 2 dollars minus 1.5o dollars?" Naruto said, "to find a pen you substitute in the value of the pencil which is 50 cents into the second equation and you'll find that one pen cost 1 dollar."

Hinata smiled, "yes, you finally got it! Great. I feel better about the clothes now."

Naruto jolted up and gave her an incredulous look, "the clothes? You tutored me because of the _clothes_? That's the reason why you agreed?"

She jumped at his sudden burst of excitement, "well, partially yes, it was because of the clothes, but another reason is because you asked me and you're my friend, I can't not help you."

Naruto looked down and nodded, "is there any other reason?"

She thought for a while, there was obliviously some reason he wanted her to have. Something that would bring him up, cheer him up. Something that he liked. Was it Sakura? Few say that he has a thing for Sakura? Was that supposed to be the reason?

Her heart sank for seconds before realizing that there was no link between Sakura and peer tutoring.

"But maybe there is," Hinata mumbled to herself, "you never know what is going on it that beautiful mind of his…"

Naruto looked at her, "sorry I didn't catch that?"

"Oh er… well," her brain scampered around for a link any weird, stupid, freakish link, "because Sakura wants me to tutor you so that you will get more… intelligent so that… well… so that we'll still be in the same class… yes that's it."

Anything to make Naruto happy.

Naruto's face was twisted in a 'are- you- sure' kind of way, "really? She said that? I thought she hated me."

She realized that that wasn't the reason he wanted and now he's drfting away from it, to talk about Sakura! What mess has she brought herself onto. Imagine talking to this guy you like about another girl he _might_ like which so happens to be your best friend. Talk about drama.

"Well," Hinata brain literally froze, "sometimes love can be mistaken for loathing."

She smacks herself for that. Isn't she trying to not make Naruto consider his affections for Sakura? Why was she doing the total opposite? Why?

She frowned, "screw you Hyuga Hinata."

Naruto laughed hysterically, "and who told you that?"

She must say the most illogical person. Think Hinata.

"Er…" someone flashed into her mind, "Temari?"

She screamed in her head. What is she now? Some kind of I- can't- tell- a- freaking- lie machine? She should've said Ino!

"Temari eh," Naruto repeated, "and she got it from a movie? Or some sorts?"

Hinata winced, "she got it from Shikamaru."

She totally blew it. Shikamaru was the most logical person she knew. How is it that she can't tell a lie today?

"But he got it from a movie," Hinata added, hoping it did more good than bad.

Naruto nodded, like a wise old man, "cool. I like that saying. It is totally applicable! Believe it."

"Huh?" Hinata was lost for words.

Naruto gave a as a matter of factly face, "it's always like that, opposites repel scientifically, but psychologically, opposites attract."

Hinata thought for a moment to process whatever he had just said before shaking her head,"um... Naruto, scientifically, opposites _attract_."

"Pretend whatever I said makes sense, just for a while... It's like you and I," Naruto stated, "if you just look at it, you might find that there are several areas where we are so totally different, contradictory, but however," he paused and gave some thought to what he was about to say, " it might turn out quite so differently. I mean, we're so different, our personalities might clash but… what I'm trying to say is that… Hinata I…I-"

Her phone rang, she sighed, "hold a sec. Yes, Hinata here."

"You never told me that there was a boy called Hyuga Neji in your class."

"Dad," Hinata squeak, "hi Dad. Haha. Who'd ever thought you'd call?"

Her father grumbled under his breath, "I called your house to check up on you, and Tenten picked up. She said you weren't there, so I started asking her if you were alright and safe."

Hinata smiled, it was very seldom that her father showed his care for her, "that was sweet."

He snorted, "and then there was an incoming call and Tenten had to switch to the second line. When she returned, she said that the caller was just Neji and we can ignore him," he paused, "that's when I started getting suspicious, and realized that the Neji she was talking about was Hyuga Neji. Hinata, he's the cousin you lost so long ago."

It all came down on her like an avalanche, pouring down and trapping her in it's darkness. She didn't know if she was hearing things or if her whole life suddenly took another twist.

"What?" was all that she could produce from her mouth, "Ne… neji is my cousin? He's the one that got lost in the forest?"

He father did a small 'uh huh', "I want to meet him, I want to see my brother's lost son."

* * *

"She won't believe us," Kankuro sigh exasperatedly, "I can't believe it, she's our sister!"

Gaara sat on his bed, opposite Kankuro's, "she doesn't know that Kankuro, we have to convince her."

They sat there, silent for a few minutes trying to think up some way to convince Temari to return to Suna with them so the she can succeed the title as Kazekage. A village can't be without a Kazekage for too long.

"What I don't understand is," Kankuro spoke, "why was _that_ in the Will? I mean, I'm sure there are other ways, if she ever finds out about this condition, she would never be willing to return to Suna with us, and she'll stay here with her little friends, the Sakura, the Hinata, the Ino, the Tenten and live here and get married here," he gasped, "with the Nara boy, and… and… make babies and stuff that couples do… to make babies… gross, fuck that was a fucking bad thought."

Gaara remained silent and ignored whatever Kankuro had just said. He wish, however, whatever Kankuro thought of would be true, that Temari would stay here, and remain happy with her life, he knew that if she were to go back to Suna, everything would change and she would be the Temari they knew now. She would hate it there, one reason- the movies there sucked balls.

But he still had to bring her there, it was their father's will and although he hated that fucker, it was the least he can do to thank the bastard who contributed his sperm to form Gaara. That was a stupid excuse. The true reason- he wanted his sister back- Kankuro keeps going on and on about being the oldest and having the rights and authority above Gaara, fucker.

"We might be able to use _that_ to convince Temari to go with us," Gaara suggested, "look at it this way, when the current flows left and a single fish swims right, it'd be going against the current. Tell me, who would win?"

Kankuro thought for a while, "this is a trick question isn't it? Hm… what type of fish? A shark?"

Gaara rolled his eyes, "a normal fucking fish Kankuro. But we're not going to dwell on that measly little faggot fish, we're talking about the strength of the resistance. If the resistance is strong, our plan foils, if the resistance is weak? Our plan succeeds."

"And so…?" Kankuro probed.

Gaara sighed at his older brother's apparent stupidity, "we have to get people to believe that Temari is the Kazekage . We can't just go around saying 'Temari is Kazekage' and expect everyone to believe us, no. We have to do it systematically, first off, the Will. Pass rumors, but we can't say it's from a Will, it's too obvious as to where we're heading."

"So…?" Kankuro asked again.

Gaara slapped his forehead, "so, Kankuro, tell me, who's someone you know who can't keep a secret? Someone close."

"Kiba."

* * *

She pressed the '2' button on the telephone, "yes, why'd you call?"

"Did you take my tarot cards?" Neji growled, "I bet you did. Give them back."

"What?" Tenten asked, "those pretty looking cards? Yeh, I took them, why? Do you need it?"

There was the sound of shattering glass in the background, "why? Why did you take them? Did you bend them? Dirty them? Lose them? Throw them? Come on Tenten, you should've ask!"

Tenten was silence for a while before laughing like a mad cow, "Hyuga Neji losing his cool, this is genuine."

She heard the door to their bedroom open and footsteps slowly getting louder and louder. She turned only to find Sakura standing upright and tall behind her with a magazine in her hands.

"Ino has been throwing me all this boy shit," Sakura said angrily, "I can't stand it! If I see another boy today… I'll… I'll, I swear I'm going to kill him!" She realized that Tenten was on the phone, "who are you talking to?"

"Er…" Tenten thought for a while, "well it'd be good if Sakura killed Neji," she pondered, "after all, she hasn't thought of a better way to get back at him for kissing her."

"I know you want to kill me," Neji said, "I know that little, tiny, puny brain of yours. But you know what? Sakura isn't really going to kill me. She's just saying that cause she jealous all of you have guys talking to you and she don't."

Tenten exhaled a deep breath, "Matsuri," she told Sakura, "about homework."

Sakura did a 'oh' face and walked back into their room to give Ino a taste of the side effects for messing with Haruno Sakura.

"Anyway," Neji continued, "I'm coming to get them, now. Keep them safely, at a correct temperature, not too cold, not too hot."

"Can I play with them?" Tenten asked, "like try to interpret my future?"

"This could be interesting," Neji said to himself, "Tenten trying in vain to read the meaning behind the cards and ultimately not getting it."

"So?" Tenten asked again, "can I?"

"I guess you could," Neji said, "just don't spoilt them."

Tenten did a silence cry of 'yes!', "oh but you can't come here. Sakura might get mad and you do not want to see her when she's mad. Can we meet at the…"

She tried to think of the most unromantic place, she didn't want Neji to think that she was into him and that she wanted to get something out of all this. Like stealing his tarot cards was the first step to an elaborate plan to date him, only Ino would think of that, but she wouldn't really do it now, since her feelings for Sai has become so apparent to him and he doesn't seem to mind her girly efforts to get his attention. Actually, in fact, he seems like he's been enjoying her efforts.

"… library," she finally said, "yes, we'll meet there."

"Ok," I won't be there in another half an hour," Neji said, "I need to clear up the broken bits of glass from the vase you shattered."

"I… didn't…" she sighed angrily, "fine, see you then."

* * *

Kiba picked up his vibrating phone and answered it, "Kankuro? What is it? Trying to spread the Batman goodness around? I'm not buying."

He paused for a while to absorb whatever Kankuro was telling him, and each time a word come through the phone, Kiba's mouth fell wider and wider.

"Are you freaking serious?" Kiba almost screeched, high in ecstasy, "who is it? Who? … You don't know? How can you not know? Gosh, but is it true? Yes? Fucking fabulous! Yes, I won't tell anyone, I promise, ok, yeh, bye."

"Yui darling, I came as-" he stopped, "oh, your boyfriend is here. Hi Itachi, we're not at school now, so I don't really need to respect you."

"Kiba!" Yui growled, "get out!"

Kiba glared at Itachi and bared his teeth like he were a dog, "why? Because this scumbag is here?"

Itachi walked over to Kiba and punched the guy, he flew back and knocked onto the wall, "I'm not going to stand there while someone throws insults at me. Who the hell are you?"

"Didn't you hear her?" Kiba asked, playing with Itachi's patience, "it's Kiba. A name that will bring you eternal misery. Kiba."

Yui couldn't believe it, she thought Kiba had given up, apparently not so, "shut up Kiba, it's over, it's over. Get out. Leave me and Itachi alone."

"Hey Itachi," Kiba said, "I want to shared something with you about Yui here. Do you know that Yui is consuming steroids?"

"FUCK YOU INUZUKA," Yui cried, "you idiot, you bastard."

Itachi was silent and calm, "I knew about it."

Yui sat up from her bed and shook her head. This can't be, Itachi knowing about the whole steroids thing to improve her performance? No. This can't be happening. He wouldn't be so calm. Her breathing was quick and thick. Her head was spinning. She didn't want Itachi to leave her. Not now, when she needed him more than ever.

Kiba scowled, "no way, you wouldn't know. When? How?"

Itachi moved back and forth on his heels, his hands in his pocket and his eyes on the ground, "just a few minutes ago, when the doctor told me Yui's urine test scored positive for steroids. Shocked? Shouldn't be. I'm her boyfriend."

Boyfriend. That word drove him crazy.

"Not anymore," Kiba hissed, "not after I kill you."

Itachi laughed, "kill? Hah. Do you know who you're talking to? Scowling, baring your teeth, like a dog. You are truly a son of a bitch."

"At least I'm not engaged to a girl when I already have a girlfriend," Kiba barked, "you traitor, liar, faker, bastard, every bad word in the world!"

Itachi paused for a while to keep up with what Kiba was saying. Yui just stared blankly at Kiba and turned her attention to Itachi expecting some defiance or at least an explanation.

Itachi shook his head, "what did you say? I'm not engaged to anyone, who the hell told you that?"

Kiba squinted, "Kankuro."

The name sounded familiar, "didn't Sasori mention him before? About being from the same village or so?" He thought.

"The one from the Drama Club," Kiba added, "you must know him, such a talented ventriloquist."

"Itachi?" Yui called, "what is this about?"

Itachi knelt beside the bed and held her hand, "nothing, Angel, I'm not engaged. It's one of those rumors people spread to make other's lives more miserable."

"Don't listen to him Yui," Kiba said, "he's lying, I know he's engaged to someone. I just don't know who."

There was an empty silence that was filled with muted blood rushing and softened pounding of muscles against flesh.

He screamed and ran over to Itachi, holding out his hands, ready to strangle that guy.

'Crack' was the sound of Kiba's cheekbones when Itachi punched him.

'Thud' was the sound produced when Kiba's head hit the wall.

'Gaak' was the sound when Kiba coughed out blood.

'Screech' was the sound of the ward's door opening.

The nurse ran in after having to hear all those painful sounds, "what happened," she noticed Kiba, lying on the ground, blood just pouring from his lips, "oh boy, what happened to you?"

Kiba glared at Itachi then focused his attention back to the nurse and smiled, "I think I fell a little too hard, nurse, when someone h-"

"SHUT UP YOU BASTARD!" Yui screamed, "GET OUT OF HERE, YOU CAUSED THE TROUBLE YOURSELF, YOU STARTED IT. WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, SO JUST, JUST… just…" she tried to focus her attention on Kiba, but her eye sight is failing her, breathing got tougher all of a sudden and the air around suddenly felt a little to heavy and damp for her liking, "Itachi… help."

And all she saw- black.

* * *

Sakura was reading _The Boy in the Striped Pajamas_ on her bed, while Tenten played 'Halo' on the computer. Ino was reading, yeah she was, she was reading the ingredients used to make her moisturizing cream.

"Hey Sakura," Ino said breaking the silence which mainly consisted of Tenten's sudden cries of victory, "what is _Triethanolamine_?"

Sakura looked up from her book, "how the hell am I supposed to know?"

Ino tossed the bottle aside, "well you're the smartest."

"I don't know what that is," Sakura said, not bothering to argue.

"Maybe I should ask Shikamaru!" Ino thought a loud, "he is a genius!"

Sakura rolled her eyes, "I bet he's busy having fun with Temari."

"I bet he's busy, having fun with Temari," Ino repeated and gasped, "goodness! That rhymes," she took a single lined book from her bag, "I shall compose a song for Shikamaru to serenade to Temari!"

Before she could even lay a single drop of ink on the paper, her phone vibrated. She picked it up without bothering about the caller ID.

"Ellos," Ino chirped cheerfully, "Ino here."

"Hi Beautiful."

"SAIIIII!"

Tenten and Sakura covered their ears upon Ino's high pitched scream. They glared at her angrily before she nodded and started whispering.

"Am I supposed to scream your name in response?" Sai asked.

Ino couldn't help it that was so funny, coming from Sai. She tried to muffle her laughter with the pillow, but then again, she couldn't breath. She decided to let it out- softly. But it didn't work. She was _roaring_ with laughter.

"Ino!" Sakura and Tenten screamed, "we're trying to concentrate here!"

Ino frowned and pouted, "no you're not, Sai. Why did you call? Not that I don't want you to call, I'm just curious. Cause you called all of a sudden and I thought it might be something urgent or something around the lines of being important and," she sighed, "sorry, I talk too much when I'm excited."

Sai laughed, or at least tried to, "well, I called because I wanted to know if you're free, so I can take you out for…er… wait a minute," there was the sound of pages flipping, "yes, out for a _date_."

The word sounds so foreign when he said it.

"Did I get that right?" Sai asked, "the book says it's called a date and it improves the relationship between a boy and a girl… when their in love, oh I missed that part. Does it matter?"

"You got it right Sai," Ino said, "and it doesn't matter at all. So when is the date? Tomorrow? The day after?"

The was a moment of silence, before Sai spoke up, "what about now? I'll pick you up. I'll be there in five minutes."

"What?" Ino pratically yelled, "five minutes? Sai gave me time. Err… half an hour?"

"No," Sai said, "I think I want to see you now."

* * *

"So when do we collect him?" Temari asked, passing Pochi over to the guy in the groomers.

The guy counted with his fingers, "2 hours later?"

Temari nodded, "ok," she turned to Shikamaru, "remember that."

The guy went to fill a form so that they would know which animal belongs to which owner, "so who's the owner of this weasel?"

They said their names at the same time and looked at each other.

The guy nodded and continued writing, "contact number?"

The looked at him, confused. Whose number did he need?

"What name did you put the weasel under?" Shikamaru asked.

He took up the paper and read from it, "Shikatema. That's what I heard. Which one of you has this weird name?"

Temari slapped her forehead.

Shikamaru could only laugh, "none, I'll fill the form myself then," he took the form and wrote down everything that was blanked, "there, that was awfully troublesome. We'll back back in 2 hours."

"Wait," the guy stopped them, "are you that Nara Shikamaru? That famous guy?"

Shikamaru raised a brow, "depends on how you came cross that name."

The guy laid back in his chair and grinned, "the _High School Controversy_ on YouTube and _The High School Chronicles_ by CodeBreaker on FanFiction," he looked at Temari, "then you must be that Temari girl he is always hanging out with…" he gasped, "but you are! You said your name was Temari! You said it! Oh gosh! I'm meeting you guys for real!" he came out from the counter with a pen and a paper, "please sign!"

Shikamaru hesitated but he took it from the guy and signed it, before passing it to Temari who also signed the paper.

The guy practically squealed like Ino when he got back the paper, "thank you so much. Oh by the way, my name is Kawasaki Itsudo. My father is that construction tycoon. Yeh, our goals in life were very different, he wanted me to take over his company, but I wanted to take care of animals."

Shikamaru nodded, trying his best to seem interested, "yes I heard of him in the papers."

Itsudo jolted up, "I know he has involvement with the black market a few times, but now he's changed, he's not a bad guy if you know him well, he's actually a very pitiful man, my mom died delivering me and my grandparents disowned my father because they believed that he was the one who killed my mom, but I know it isn't true, he never killed anyone before, because he's my father."

"Thank you for that touching life story Itsudo," Temari smiled oh so fakely, "believe me, mine is far worse. At least you're rich."

Shikamaru nudged her to show a little sympathy for the man, "but we really have to be going. It's troublesome. But thanks. Er… bye."

They left the store in a hurry, worried that Itsudo would begin on another story and they might never exit the store.

"Where are we going now?" Temari asked.

He thought for a while, "I don't know, where do _you_ want to go? Shopping?"

"Have you known me for like five minutes?" Temari asked, "I don't shop. I think I want to go home. I'll collect Pochi myself later."

"Are you sure?" Shikamaru asked, "is there something you can do without me?"

"Yes," Temari said, "in fact, there are alot of things I am capable of without you. Admit it, you need me, otherwise you'd be so lonely."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru rolled his eyes, "I'm sending you home."

* * *

Sakura noticed that Tenten had changed into more presentable clothes and was looking for her wallet and her handphone hidden in the mess. Ino was in the toilet, applying her make- up and donned in one of her favourite dresses- the dark purple based tube dress with Anna Sui like flowers all over it. They were all preparing to go out.

"Hey hey hey," she put down her book, "what are you guys doing?"

"I'm going out," they said in unison before looking at each other.

"You're going out?" Tenten asked Ino.

"Duh!" Ino pointed to her outfit, "you're going out? In that?" She pointed to Tenten's outfit.

Tenten chose to ignore her comment and turned her attention to Sakura to explain.

"Well Sakura I-"

"Who are you guys going to meet?"

"Matusri," the two girls in question said at the same time, they glare at each other, knowing that their lie was a bad lie.

Sakura nodded, obviously aware that the two weren't meeting Matsuri, "I would believe Tenten is going to meet Matsuri, but not you Ino. You're practically dressed for a date. And really, it isn't too hard to guess who asked you out- Sai."

The phone rang. Sakura, being the closest, answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hi Sakura," Neji greeted, "can you tell Tenten I'll be in the library in five minutes. Or has she already left?"

"She left," Sakura muttered, "for the underworld."

Neji was quiet, before it dawned on him, "oh… yes, you didn't want to hear anything about boys… I forgot. Er… you can kill Tenten, but don't destroy my tarot cards."

Sakura slammed the phone down, "so you're meeting a boy too. Great for you guys, haha, leaving me in my solitude. Fine. Gosh everyone is drooling over they're boyfriends now…"

"Neji is not my-" Ino stopped Tenten and beckoned for her to leave as soon as possible before anything regrettable happens.

* * *

The Captain of the ANBU squad came into the room and sat down opposite the two of them. He examined their appearance, before nodding and flipping through a few sheets of paper.

"So," he begun, "Pein and Konan, am I right?"

"Yes," Konan said softly, "that's us."

He nodded again, "so tell me, what exactly did you see?"

Pein leaned forward so that the distance between them was shorter, "like I have told the previous few officers and AUBU cops, I was sending my girlfriend home that night when we saw some figures pushing a strange looking object into a dark alley. If I have not mistaken, two figures were in the lead and the others pushing the object were behind. We didn't want to stick around too much, other wise we might get into trouble ourselves, so I decided to get Konan home as soon as possible."

The Captain had been jotting down whatever Pein said and recording it down too, "anything else."

"Well," Konan spoke up, "there was something that we failed to recall until now."

"And that is?" the Captain probed.

Konan smiled, "we heard the name Kawasaki."

Pein pointed to the glass window behind the Captain, "I think someone's trying to call you, he's waving like a mad fucker."

The Captain turned around and saw nothing but a glass window he couldn't see through, "Mister, that's a one way glass window."

Pein sunk down in his seat, "are you sure about that?"

Someone poked his head into the room, "sorry, I forgot it was one way, I was waving outside, trying to get your attention and then it dawned on me."

The Captain gave Pein a mystified look, "how'd you… how can…" he shook it off, "what do you want?"

"Remember the murder of those two girls?" the guy asked, "well their Principal is here, she says she might know who the culprits are."

He entered the other room and sat in front of Tsunade, "they say you're the Principal and might know who killed those two girls."

She nodded, "yes, I think they are the culprits. Hatake Kakashi and Mitarashi Anko."

He wrote down the names and passed it to the man next to him, "do a background check, especially if they have any criminal records," he turned back to Tsunade, "can you tell me, how you came to that conclusion."

Tsunade sighed and leaned against the back of the chair, "well, it starts here…" she began to tell the Captain how she came about the theory.

* * *

She walked past bookshelf after bookshelf, cautiously scanning for Neji. There are fewer and fewer people as she got deeper into the library. People these days don't really like to read books anymore, it is such a pity. Tenten has to admit that she doesn't read that much now as compared to her childhood times, probably because of the distraction of the computer.

Temari used to read a lot too, and she still does, just not as much. Temari told her that reading gives her inspiration and are the inspiration for some movies. Tenten agrees to that, cause even the most cliché romantic scene in the world came from an excerpt of a book.

Sakura loves to read. She'd be caught dead without a book. Recently, she has been reading old books, like books that have been written a long time ago. She has Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, Emily Bronte… piled all over her bed.

Hinata reads, but not because she likes it. She reads when she's bored or when she has the time. She doesn't own many books, many art books, she love art books. Those types that show you works of famous artist and designers, she liked those, she thinks it's one way to improve her creativity.

Tenten noticed that the number of people around reduced at such a rapid speed that there is currently no one in a 1 meter radius around her.

"Hey."

She stopped and looked between the bookselves. It was Neji.

"I see Sakura hasn't killed you yet," Neji placed back the book he was reading, "pity, can I have my tarot cards back now?"

Tenten frowned, "no you can't, you promised that you'd let me try it out first."

Neji pulled her between the shelves and sat down, pulling her with him, "ok then, I'm curious how you'd interpret the cards."

He took the cards from her and laid them across the carpeted library floor, "pick one."

The smell of old books was lurking in the air, it wasn't entirely a bad smell, it was sort of an antique smell- if that was the appropriate term of it. The more she took it in, the better it smelt. And with every breath, it was like the smell was a book, it painted a picture in her mind, one that would perfectly suit a smell like this.

As she gazed upon the uniform back of the cards her mind was in a whirl, as if autumn leaves just drifted by, carrying the aroma of Rose Mary tea leaves. At that very moment, she felt like Temari had pressed the rewind button on her and Sakura threw her into Jane Austen's time and Hinata had sculpt the setting and Neji was drinking Rose Mary tea with her, on a Sunday afternoon, in the middle of autumn. The window next to them carried the image of falling autumn leaves from a tree in the courtyard, and on a sturdy branch, there was a rope with held on to a tyre. A rubber tyre swing, Hinata would like that.

"Tenten."

Her surrounding melted upon the call and it brought her back to the present- sitting on the soft library floor, opposite Neji.

"Pick a card," he told her.

She glared at him for chasing her fantasy dreamland away, "here," she randomly picked a card and passed it to him.

He looked at it and his jaw almost detached from his skull. His eyebrow twitched at a rapid speed.

"What?" she snapped, "is it bad?"

He handed the card to her, "you're supposed to be the one reading it. Make a good guess."

She received it from him and glanced at the card, "are you serious? _The Lovers_? What kind of card is that? Very blatantly it's trying to tell me that _love_ is coming my way? Is that it? Cause… that's gross. Yucks."

"Are you ok?" Neji asked, "cause when girls pick this card they scream for joy. Oh, yeah, you're not a girl. Sorry, I forgot."

"Stop doing that to me," Tenten said, "it's annoying."

"Then stop telling me that I'm as pretty as a girl," Neji retorted, "I feel really annoyed."

"Fine."

"Whatever," Neji said, "I must pity which ever guy that's going to be stuck with you, his misfortune."

If this weren't a library, she'd get up and kick Hyuga Neji like a football.

* * *

A car pulled over at their driveway. Ino smiled, it was Sai. She waved at him and he got out to open the door for her, the book says he has to.

"Thank you," she said as she got in and the door closed behind her, "where are we going?" she asked as soon as he came into the car to start it driving.

"Where do you want to go?" Sai asked, "the book didn't give any examples of places we should go to."

"Sai, I don't think you should follow the book," Ino said, "you should follow your instincts, I want to know you, not the person the book wants you to be. What's this great book anyways?"

He took a book out from the side of the car door and showed it to her, "Dummies guide to Relationships. I have the Dummies guide to emotions too, this is just an extension."

She put the book down and laughed, "ok, now where do you think we should go to?"

"I have a yacht."

* * *

Sakura decided to take a nap, since she was all alone in this deserted house, with nothing better to do to pass the time. Besides, her eyes were tired from all the reading, the words were so small. She wanted to save the environment, so she thought that purchasing the books with the smallest font would reduce the number of paper needed to print the book, which reduced the number of trees needed to produce the paper to print the book, which in turn saves the environment.

She fell into her slumber moments ago and her mind started dreaming of the weirdest things.

Sakura was seated on a golden throne next to her father.

"Well someone's over dressed," she thought, "father's dressed to meet Shakespeare."

Her father turned to look at her, "thy hath more character than of blazing sun."

"What the hell?" Sakura was shocked at her father's English, "are you trying to say that I'm radiant? Have you been reading Shakespeare recently?"

"Signor Haruno!"

Her father walked towards the man with called him, ignoring her questions- if he even heard it amongst this loud music. It was then that she started to observe her surroundings. Tons of gold furnishing, painting on the walls, people dancing a strange kind of dance, food, wine and the outfits. Yes, the outfits! Oh gosh, was this some sort of Shakespearean time party? How is it that she had never known about this?

Sakura sat up from her seat to scan the room for familiar faces, however she felt so uncomfortable all over. She looked down at herself and received the shock of her life. What is this?

"What is this?" she whispered to herself, "are you kidding? Are you fucking joking with me? Fucking hell yeah, who the hell got me into this?"

She was donned in the most lavish dress in the whole ballroom- white and red. It was off shoulder and the neck line sunk half way down the valley of her chest. The dress curved along her hourglass figure and flowed down her hips to touch the gown. It was the most sensible looking gown in the ballroom- it didn't make her look like a balloon.

Sakura felt her hair. Thank god it was still pink, she would've screamed if anyone dyed her hair. But it was longer, it came to touch her waist in defined curls. She pulled off the hair clip that held half of her hair out of her face.

"This dream sucks," she told herself, "I shall not read Shakespeare anymore."

She walked down the stairs to the dance floor where four girls came up to her in similar, different colored dress, giggling like mad idiots.

"Hinata? Tenten? Ino? Temari?" Sakura called, "thank god it's you guys. This dream is creeping me out."

They bowed upon meeting her.

"Lady Sakura," Ino greeted, "chancing upon thou here is pleasurable. The floor bares an abundance of fine lads to which one do thy take interest in?"

"Be forth thy mustn't," Hinata murmured, "dismissed her manners Lady Ino has, thou fear Sir Sai stolen thy sanity."

The girls- excluding Sakura- started laughing madly.

"I'm getting out of here," Sakura pulled her long dress off the ground and started to walk away, but the girls gave such mystified looks.

"Speak in codes thy has," Temari said.

It was awkward seeing them act like this, even in her dreams.

Sakura cringed, "make haste thou must."

She left before they could throw her any puzzling phrases she might not even understand.

"It's not even accurate Shakespearean language," Sakura told herself, "oh come on, can't people even speak proper English in my dream?"

Sakura was looking around here and there for an exit out of this ballroom to escape this Shakespeare horror. She ran towards one of the many big glass doors at the side of the ballroom in a rush before anyone she knows would pop out of no where and stop her from leaving. But hey, it's a dream, people do pop out of no where.

She closed the glass door behind her and made a run for the flight of steps before her. Sakura raced down as if she were escaping from a fire, but truth is, she's desperately trying to find a way away from the ballroom, from the people, from the noise, from this dress, from everything, she wanted to get out of this dream turned into nightmare.

It may seem pretty alright to some people, but when your desolated in an era completely unknown to you, with no one who understands what you're saying, with no way out- unless someone wakes you- you'd hate it, you'd want to get out of here and dream of ponies and some sky high rainbow land.

Cause no one likes to be lonely.

She stopped before a pathway leading into a vine labyrinth. She looked up, trying to see how high the walls of the labyrinth went. The blue black, star lit sky looked like dark blue velvet being spread across the sky, like she could dip her finger into it's inky darkness and pull out a finger covered in thick blueberry jam. The walls seems to drag all the way into infinity, possible piercing through the lowest clouds and still stretching into the galaxy.

She brought her attention back to the archway in front of her, it was scary, yet tempting, like she is dying to walking into more trouble.

"Oh what the heck," Sakura thought a loud, "it's just a bloody dream."

She cautiously entered the archway and walked through the different corners and went round the different twists and turn, going further and further away from the party in the ballroom, the loud noise and the blaring music started to turn their volumes down, the lights from the stars seem to go further and further away. And Sakura was as lonely as ever.

"Oh my god," she told herself, squatting down on the grassy cold ground of the labyrinth, "this is like voluntary death. Wake up Sakura. Wake up."

You could say she was about to cry, but she couldn't really, part of her know that this is a nightmare. So she…

"_Shhhhfttzz_"

She turned around, the shuffling came from behind her. There was no one there. She started to look about frantically, knowing that she wasn't the only one in the labyrinth.

"_Shhhhfttzz_"

"Who's there?" she called out, in hopes that some weird Shakespeare character would pop out.

"Hopefully it's Juliet," she thought, "or Shylock, he isn't that bad of an antagonist."

"_Shhhhfttzz_"

She remembered that this is the Shakespearean time, no one would understand her words, "er… the evil night bathes which soul?"

That sounded wrong.

She stood up, prepared to run away if, by any chance, a creature just burst out of no where. Hopefully a leprechaun.

Something got hold of her ankle. She squeaked, she couldn't scream, it might attract that foul creature's attention. Sakura looked down only to find a single vine twirling around her calve.

"Fuck," she said, "even the plants are evil. What? Is this Harry Potter now? Am I the poor Fleur who gets dragged into the labyrinth? Gosh," she struggled to pull away from the vines, "ouch!"

The vine whipped her hands and twisted it's sharp tendrils around her wrist, getting her on all of her limbs and slowly pulling her back towards leave covered wall.

"Fucking let me go," she gasped.

She knew why her dream was so weird now.

Someone or something was lurking in the shadows.

The killer hid himself in darkness.

The vines got her from behind.

The killer caught her from her back.

This is a repetition of what really happened, it was etched in her mind and she's scared of it. She's scared she might die in her on nightmare.

"SASUKE!" she cried.

He saved her in real life, she was sure he could save her in her nightmare.

The vines pressed her so closely to the wall, like it wanted her to go through it but, too bad, she was bloody solid. She cried in pain as the vines tightened their grip on her wrist, she could feel cold liquid flowing down her palm. It was her blood.

"Sasuke," she murmured, "help."

Then there came a very defined footstep, unlike the stupid shuffling she heard earlier. This footstep was clear and patient, it was getting closer and closer.

Sakura looked up and caught sight of a figure emerging from one of the archways in the labyrinth. Her hopes risen.

From the darkness, the most beautiful thing appeared- Sasuke. He was even more perfect than how she remembered. His skin was pale, close to white, his hair is jet black, pure black, purer than the night. Sasuke was taller and more masculine than before, but he was the perfect kind of masculine, not too big yet not puny at the same time, just perfect. And his face, it was simply the most wondrous thing she'd ever seen, he had a chiseled jaw, the sunken area circling his eyes are darker than the other parts. But the most spectacular and intriguing change and to be his eyes, they were red, blood red, piercing blood red.

He grinned at her.

She sighed in relief; he has come to save her again.

In a flash, was a so intimately close to her, she could hardly breathe with the distance between them.

His hand found her face and he slowly stroked it like he had never touched human skin before, like it was a birthday gift he had just unwrapped. He seemed so fascinated by the touch of her skin.

"It's very soft," he murmured, "and smooth."

She felt his cold skin against her warm one. It was like a piece of ice being rubbed against her face, so cold and hard.

There was something wrong with him.

"Are you alright?" she asked him.

He pushed her fringe aside and caressed her forehead gently, his other hand went through the soft curls of her hair and came to her collar bone, slowly feeling it's contours.

He's acting really weird. Like weirder than her father and her friends. He was freaking her out.

"Sasuke," she said firmly, "what's wrong?"

His hand trailed away from her collar bone and glided along her upper chest area.

Was he going to rape her? His hand was too close to her fucking boobs.

He shifted his hand further left. His other hand pushed her hair off her left shoulder and held on to her shoulder while his roaming hand went lower.

"Hey," she warned him, she was starting to feel really uncomfortable, even in her sleep, "don't go too low."

His hand stopped and he smiled, like he has found what he has been looking for. He took his hand off her shoulder and did the same for himself. Unbuttoned the top few buttons of his loose shirt and feel around the left side of his chest.

"What are you doing Sasuke?" she asked, was he trying to molester herself and himself at the same time?

"I can't find my heartbeat Sakura," he finally said as he pulled the vines of one of her hands, "find it."

She hesitated, but gave into it. After all, she was the vulnerable one.

She scavenged his clean shaven chest for his heart beat, "I'm medically trained, I would be able to find in it quite easily."

Sakura went through all the possible positions but there was none, no heartbeat at any position. What happened?

"Sasuke, I think I…" her emerald eyes met his piercing red ones.

"I think I'm dead Sakura," he said as if dying wasn't a big deal.

He went closer to her and held her by the jaw, before going forth to kiss her on the lips ever so passionately.

Sakura never tasted anything as sweet, literally. It was as if Sasuke's lips was covered in fresh clover nectar with a pinch of sugar. If roses had a taste, they would taste like Sasuke's lips.

His kiss was gentle yet impatient, like he was never going to see her again.

Her free hand held on to the back of his head, never wanting him to draw away, because she loved it so much, she wanted to have eternity of it. It was one of those times where you have a moment that you never want to let go of, but you knew that you have to. It is a dream, a dream in which she kissed a more beautiful Uchiha Sasuke.

His lips left hers and slowly trailer down her cheeks to her jaw, to her neck.

When she's enjoying this, does it mean that she loves him?

"I'm sorry Sakura," he said in between kisses, "you smell so good, so different from the others."

That line was extremely familiar. She had seen it, or read it, some where before.

Twilight.

"You're a vampire?" she asked anxiously.

"Yes," he said, "I'm really sorry I have to do this."

She tightened her grip on his hair, probably pulling a few strands off in the process, "no, you don't have to."

His razor sharp fangs revealed themselves and slowly, he sunk them into her neck, causing her to scream in agony…

…before she woke up.

The first thing she saw was the bottom of Hinata's bed above her. Her initial thought was that everything started denying gravity, before it occurred to her that she was sleeping on the bottom bunk of a double decker bed.

Her hand instantaneously brought itself to her neck, the position where Sasuke had sank his fangs in. She felt around, but there was no blood, no scar, just pure, smooth skin.

She sighed, it would be horrible to be immortal.

Sakura shifted to her side to face the wall the bed was next to, but something strange caught her eye- a few strands of dark blue, almost black, hair on her pillow.

That scared her.

She recalled pulling a few strands of Sasuke's hair before he bit her, but that was in her dream. How can the hair materialize like that? How can this be possible?

She took it in her palm and examined it closely, like it would be possible to identity who hair it was, but unfortunate, it bore splitting resemblance to Sasuke's.

"Holy shit," she muttered, "was he really here?"

"Oh so you woke up."

"Sasuke?"

"No, Temari, but I can call him if you want."

"No!" Sakura sat up from her bed, "was he here?"

Temari thought for a while, "are you psychic or something? Yes, he did came while you were sleeping, he was looking for Neji. Neji hasn't been answering any of his phone calls, he says it urgent."

"But Neji went out with Tenten," Sakura said.

Temari nodded, "exactly why he came here, cause our darling Tenten stays here. Anything else? Cause I don't like telling grandmother's stories, their trou- I mean very taxing."

Sakura rolled her eyes and felt around her bed for her book. Temari noticed her intentions.

"Oh," Temari stopped her, "Sasuke borrowed Romeo and Juliet, Sai spilt paint on his previous one."

"Wait," Sakura stood up, "he was in this room?"

Temari nodded, "but don't worry, he said you looked like an angel sleeping."

* * *

"I'm afraid her condition is far worse than expected," the doctor told Itachi.

Itachi frowned, "you said that just now."

"It's much worse than worse," the doctor said, "she might die in a matter of days and if she's lucky, she might last a week."

"A WEEK?" Itachi couldn't help but yell, before finding himself and calming down despite all the anger and frustration that was building up inside, "sorry about that, I remembered that it isn't your fault."

The doctor patted Itachi softly on the shoulder, "I don't think she can last a week. Maybe three or two days. I'm so sorry, I know how much she means to you. I suggest you bring her somewhere where it's just the two of you alone. Lets make her last moments on this earth a happy one."

Itachi sat down on the nearby chair, covering his face with his hands. He didn't want to cry or breakdown like how Deidara did when no one was around. It was childish and very vulnerable.

"Hey."

He looked up to face Yui, in front of him, dressed to go out and roam the streets.

He stood up and couldn't help but hold her in his arms and keeping her in his embrace for a long long time. He might not hold her again.

"I'm sorry," she cried onto his shoulder, "I'm so so sorry I didn't tell you about the drugs, it felt so hard to keep a secret from you, I hated myself for that."

He stroked her hair and smiled weakly, "it's alright, it's just a little sickness, I'll see you through it, I promise."

"You're the only thing I'll miss on this earth once I'm gone," she muttered.

He didn't know how he should reply to that. But he knows that she'd be worried if he went off with another girl after she die and completely forget about her. That was wrong. He can never forget about, even if he tried. It's scientifically impossible.

It was then, he made the rashest and the most hasty decision of his life time.

"Yui," he pulled her away, "one thing I must do before you go."

She looked at him, expectantly, curious about this 'thing'.

"I want to marry you, Yui."

* * *

Her phone vibrated about the sofa, she paused the show to answer the call.

"Yes Shikamaru?" she said in a volume that wasn't too loud nor too soft the girls were sleeping, "what do you want?"

"You know," he said in a very forlorn voice, "it's troublesome, I never like to admit defeat, but you win this time. I do need you with me. I am currently lying on my bed, idling, hoping to fall asleep, but some how I can't. I'm trying not to care Temari, trying very hard to."

She laughed, "you called me at midnight to tell me something I already know? Remember how I told you that you weren't good at lying? Well you were lying to me just now weren't you? You were lying to yourself too, that's why you sent me home so that you can prove to yourself that you don't need me to be with you, the idea of that makes you feel needy."

He grunted, "looks like you took some of my genius away. I hate to admit it, but you're right. I can't lie to you now."

They were silence for a while. Temari resumed her show, but she muted the sound so now she can read the subtitles and listen to him talk.

"Aren't you going to say something?" she asked.

"Troublesome," he mumbled, "what do you want me to say? I love you and I need you in my life? Along those cheesy lines?"

She cringed, "eww… no, gross. I get all mushed up by that. Please don't inflict that pain on me again."

"Hah," Shikamaru chuckled, "I see your weakness."

"Hahaha very funny," she said sarcastically, "but hey Shikamaru."

"Hummm?"

"Can we continue talking until we get tired and decide to sleep?"

"Troublesome. Are you watching some horror movie?"

"They don't scare me," Temari argued, "it's just really quiet here sometimes. Everyone is sleeping, not only in he house, but also in the area. It's like I'm the only one that's awake. This gives me the feeling like I'm the last person on earth. But if you talk to me, I'll know that there is someone else in Japan that is still awake."

He laughed at her statements, "cause no one like to be lonely."

* * *

A/N: Its 10:32pm and I have finished this chapter! I'll be going for camp tomorrow, so I won't start on the next chapter any time soon.

BTW: the Shakespearean thingy was all made up. I know I suck at Shakespeare, don't need to tell me that. :)

Review! Thanks.


	16. Episode Sixteen: Last Sunset, Part One

A/N: I know Itachi was quite OOC in the previous chapter (15), sorry for that. And I have made two (by far) mistakes in the series, just ignore them if you have noticed, they won't make much of a difference to what is going to happen. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I spent many days glaring at this empty document, hoping words just magically appear, but unfortunate they don't- it took me long enough to realize. So, this is chapter sixteen.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Twilight or Shakespeare. I also do not own some of the OCs, like Tamanaki Milla and Angela Yui, they have their respective owners and I have got their creator's permission before using them.

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: Last Sunset Part One

Part i

_The Statue of David has been recovered late yesterday night in the Kawasaki Manor. Two teens which refuse to be identified witnessed the crime on their way home. Now, they are the holder of the forty million reward money. This is Fujiko on the Morning News._

He switched off the television and laid down on his bed, sighing. This large amount of money was sure to bring them a hell lot of trouble. They have to be careful not to spend it too quick or it may expose their identities.

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. _

Why did they have that stupid contraption in their room? It has been ticking away endlessly ever since he got batteries into them. Ok, it's basic purpose was to tick and to tock so that the fucking second hand would move so that they can they would know the bloody time. Can't the clock just tick and tock silently? Why do they have to be demanding damn attention? Maybe there are silent clocks, it's just that he has been too busy to notice them.

"Speaking of clocks" he thought, "what is the time?"

He swiftly got the round little thing from the bedside table and scrutinized the little hands and the little numbers. Yes one other thing, next time they go clock shopping, he must remember to get a huge clock that practically screams the time.

Fuck, wait. He could just get a digital clock, they are silent and easy to read. But Konan liked analogues. She thinks it is classic and classic is beautiful and timeless.

"Nine Thirty," he muttered and tossed the clock back to the table, "all for Itachi, all for that guy."

"Pein," Konan murmured quietly from under the sheets.

He lifted the blanket to catch sight of the skimpily dressed figure, "hmmm?"

She shift and faced him, "Itachi is a poor guy, don't you think? The doctors told him that she was only asthmatic, but she appears to have leukemia. And on that thought, Pein…"

"What is it?" he asked, she was drifting off to one of those strange thoughts again, he could tell from her facial expression; that dazed look.

She hesitated, but seeing Pein is not someone she would like to keep a secret from, she decides it would be wise to share, "do you think we're cursed?

"Milla was murdered and died and now, Yui is diagnosed with leukemia," Konan stated, "and she will die in a matter of days. Isn't all this a bit funny?"

Pein laughed (I never knew he could) and got off the bed to change into his casual clothes, "you're thinking too much Konan. Get changed, we have a plane to catch."

* * *

"Hey Neji," Hinata called him when she saw him in class that morning.

He looked up, curious about what she has to say, "yes Hinata?"

She stopped in front of his desks and rocked back and forth on her feet, she didn't know how she should do this. It was such and unusual request and it isn't even coming from her, she is just the messenger bird.

"Well," she started, "my father wants to see you…"

She didn't now how it might sound to him, how he would take it.

Neji raised a brow, "see me? If this is some kind of 'meet the parents' thing before allowing their daughter to start a relationship with this boy she likes, sorry Hinata, I'm not a tad interested in you at all. Forgive me."

Tenten slammed her fist down on the table before Hinata could say anything, "what did you say pussy? That was fucking rude! I knew it! I knew it! You had been interested in men all along… You're a self absorbed gay."

Neji rolled his eyes and leaned against his chair, "shut up, you were the one talking about ovaries, who know you dream about them all the time."

Hinata had to intervene, one, was to break up a possibly dangerous argument and two, was to clear the misunderstanding, "Neji! I do not like you and this is not one of the 'meet the parents' kind of thing. I don't even know why my dads wants to see you, he thinks that you may be-"

She stopped, remembering what her father had said earlier. He didn't want Hinata to tell Neji about him possibly being her father's nephew, it might scare him. She had to lie for the moment. Then he remembered that she hadn't been very efficient in lying to Naruto, but maybe that's because she likes him. Pretty much it. Hell never would she ever like Neji, imagine having a boyfriend looking like your cousin, what would the people think? Incestuous!

"That he may be?" Tenten asked, she was curious too, Hinata's father never bothered so much about her friend before, let alone Neji- who isn't close at all.

"Well he thinks that your fortune telling is accurate and he wants his fortune to be read," Hinata said, secretly twisting her fingers, hoping it didn't come out funny and wrong.

"But I-" Neji wanted to say that the fortunes he read weren't like that, alas, he was interrupted by Shizune, their current form teacher.

She burst into the room, late like Kakashi, but not as late. Perhaps she has yet to get used to having a form class.

"Sorry I'm late," she said walking towards the teacher's desk, "I keep forgetting."

Naruto shook his hand, "don't worry about it, Kakashi sen- sei is always late."

"I also had administrative to handle," she told them, settling down on the desk, "apparently some of your Seniors, a whole bunch actually, decided to absent themselves from school today well to me it's-" she stopped herself before she could go any further.

She had to constantly remind herself never to disclose too much to the students when something has yet to be confirmed. Tsunade said that it would lead to a wave of rumors which isn't good for the school at all.

The students watched intently, expecting her to continue.

"Well," she shrugged, "on with the topic today, chemical equations."

Kiba raised his hand, "Shizune sen- sei, when you said a whole bunch of Seniors, are you meaning the Akatsuki?"

Shizune sighed, they weren't going to let her off so easily, "well… yes… no… maybe… yes, if that's what you call Pein and his gang and a few other girls obviously related to them. But the girls had their family members call in this morning to explain their absence, so their off the hook, I'm not sure what Principal Tsunade would do to the Akatsuki."

"Well I think the most problematic one has to be Uchiha Itachi," Kiba commented arrogantly.

Sasuke shot him a look, some how, he had a soft spot for this Senior, "you don't even know him."

"He must be like the rest of his gang members," Kiba said, "fuckers."

"He's so different from the others," Sasuke said, "don't judge someone you don't know son of a bitch."

Sakura jolt up from her slouched position. Sasuke's words echoed in her mind.

"_So different from the others_."

Sasuke said the exact same thing to her in her dream: _"I'm sorry Sakura," he said in between kisses, "you smell so good, so different from the others."_

She touched her lips and growled softly under her breath, "why is my dream taking over reality?"

"Shut up," Kiba stood up, "Itachi called me a bloody son of a bitch too. Come to think of it, you're both Uchihas and you both look alike. Oh and guess what? You talk alike too. Newsflash: I hate Uchihas."

Lee turned to face Kiba, "youthfulness! You have just noticed the similarity? You're so youthfully slow! Gai sen- sei would look down on you! No wait! Gai sen- sei doesn't look down on anyone because-"

Shizune came between the two, "stop it! Does Kakashi allow you to fight like this all the time?"

"Yes," the whole class replied in unison with utmost confidence.

Shizune smacked her forehead, she had expected a 'no'. What has Kakashi been teaching these kids?

"Inuzuka sit down!" Shizune commanded, "everyone! No vulgarities. Not anymore! I'm not Kakashi sen- sei, I actually mind the usage of vulgarities. Now everybody quiet, flip open your text books."

Everybody did as they were told, very relunctantly. Shizune sen- sei was no fun. They preferred Kakashi sen- sei.

Where the hell is he?

* * *

"In Suna sir," one of the ANBU told his captain, "with Mitarashi Anko. We have alerted the authorities over there, they said they would look out for them."

The captain nodded, "do we have permission to send our ANBU troops over?"

"I'm afraid not sir," he said, "they are not comfortable having another village's law enforcers in their village."

He sighed and took a sip of his coffee, "very well then, thank you. Alert me once any news of them comes in. Oh and by the way, Kawasaki, how is he doing?"

The man flipped through several documents he held in hand, "his son is offering a trade. Him for his father. This boy has no criminal records, he has done nothing wrong, and Kawasaki insists that you take the boy."

"His own son? Take him into prison?," the Captain interrupted, "I'm beginning to really suspect something. Ok then, this might lead us to a bigger catch."

* * *

It was lunch time. Thank god. They were finally released from the clutches of Shizune sen- sei, rattling on and on about chemical equations. Kakashi had never shoved so much information at them at once, he encourage peer tutoring, claiming it to be highly effective and beneficial for bonding. But they all knew he was just lazy.

They settled at their usual lunch table, they being Sakura, Hinata, Tenten, Temari, Ino, Sai, Shikamaru, Naruto and Matsuri.

"This is working fucking well for me," Sai said calmly, "fangirls don't run after me anymore, maybe because I have beautiful with me."

The rest almost fainted at the pet name.

"I think I should get my brothers here into this magical anti fangirl zone as well," Sai smiled signaling for his brothers to come over.

"No!" Tenten said, "this also happens to be anti Neji."

"And anti Sasuke," Sakura added, seeing that this would only make her dreams seem more like reality.

It's not that she doesn't want her dream to be a reality. Hell yeah she wants Sasuke's lips to caress her's. But that'll make her feel fangirly and fangirly is not a compliment to her.

Hinata leaned over to Sakura, "but he saved your ass."

"You should at least show some gratitude," Naruto added, "believe it!"

Sakura wanted to protest but they were right and after having been reminded about the saving, she was engulfed with guilt. Ok, not _engulfed_, she felt a little guilty.

"Ok," Sakura said, "he can come."

Sasuke, Neji and Shino came in seconds to avoid all the fangirls as quick as possible.

Sasuke sat opposite Sakura, reading _her_ Romeo and Juliet book.

She stared at him for a while, intending for him to look up, notice her presence and say 'thank you for this book, I really appreciate it' or something more Sasuke- ish.

He did look up, but he just ignored her gaze and returned to the magical fantasy of forbidden love.

"Sasuke," she called, "you do know that is my book, don't you?"

He nodded, still not looking up, casually taking a sip of coke from the paper cup next to him.

She felt annoyed and in the need to say more, "you know, if you get some coke on that book I'll never forgive you."

He nodded, this time, actually replying, "I'll get you a new one then."

"Then why can't you get yourself a new one instead of borrowing mine?" she asked.

Finally, he looked up and grinned, "good point."

"Did you collect the weasel?" Temari asked chewing onto the tip of her fork.

Shikamaru shook his head, "the store was closed, apparently, Itsudo had something to attend to that is extremely important."

Hinata looked at Temari, "then you'll have to get Pochi today? Sakura's going to be so mad you're going to spend today with _him_."

Hinata said 'him' as if she was referring to Voldemont, as if Shikamaru is 'he who should not be named'.

Temari glanced at Sakura having her conversation with Uchiha Sasuke, "well she seemed to have thrown the entire anti boy shit out of the window."

"No," Tenten disagreed, "the anti boy shit was for me and Ino," she looked at Hinata, "and Hinata… and maybe you."

"Wasn't that what she said?" Shikamaru asked.

Tenten shook her head, "Temari has two different kinds of shit thrown upon her."

"Gross," Naruto cringed at the mention of shit being thrown around.

Tenten rolled her eyes, "one is the anti boy shit which Shikamaru is part of and two is the you're- not- spending- enough- time- with- your- friends shit, which Shikamaru is also part of. Ups and downs of having a boyfriend I guess."

Temari held her fork very unethically, "he's not my boyfriend, gosh, I'm so going to stab this through your forehead."

"Well well well," Neji taunted, "isn't Tenten a little too pessimistic about relationships? Be careful, you're bound to have one soon."

Hinata was confused, "what do you mean?"

Neji grinned, "she picked The Lovers card from my deck, it can only mean one thing."

Ino squealed- just like how Neji said girls would.

Since when was she involved in the conversation?

"Tenten is going to have a boyfriend!" Ino said, "well that's a first."

Sakura turned at the mention of Tenten having a boyfriend, "no! Are you serious? You're so tomboy- ish, the only guy that matches you is some pussy guy."

"What?" Tenten almost screamed.

"That's a fact," Sasuke said, even he said it, "you're a tomboy, your partner would have to balance that out by being sort of girly, but not gay."

Tenten gasped- how unlike her. The only guy she knows that appeals to her as 'girly' is _Neji_.

Is it possible to gag on your own saliva and suffocate to death? Cause Tenten really wanted to do that now.

"Oh," Ino broken the tension, "I almost forgot!"

Everyone diverted their attention to the blond girl, expecting something important to shoot out from his gloss covered lips.

"Sai invited us to go sailing on his yacht today evening!" she squealed, "it is super duper uber cool!"

Sakura did a small clap, "us as in… us?"

Ino nodded vigorously, "yes! Us as in us, us!"

Temari rolled her eyes, "as in the five of us?"

Sakura and Ino looked at Temari like she was the dumbest person on earth.

"No," Hinata said, "us as in us, us, all of us on this table us."

Temari looked at Tenten which nodded, as if they were thinking of the same thought.

"You're not the only one," Tenten comforted her, "I'm confused either way."

"If I hear another 'us'," Neji said, "I'm going to chop off my hair!"

Sai looked up from the book that appeared out of no where, "Naruto, Obama is the President of…"

"U.S!"

Everyone could have faint at the randomness.

* * *

The plane touched down quite sometime ago and they managed to get pass all the different counters quickly enough to catch the late morning bus to the Medival Country Church.

The bus wasn't bad like how they'd expected it to be, it was relatively ok. The fourteen of them had to sit in twos on either sides of the bus. There were quite so many people already on board, mostly women who giggled when they saw the really casually dressed foreign man board the bus.

They had their little baggage on their laps or just below the seat before sitting back and relax and just enjoy the view of the countryside as this was going to be a long bus ride.

Pein took the time to check his blackberry and realized that he had missed thirteen calls from the Principal while they were in board the plane. She must have found it strange that the Akatsuki and everyone involved with the members had mysteriously disappeared today.

Oh well, he might as well call her to gain her blessings for the to be couple.

* * *

The phone rung for a while before Tsunade picked up, "hi Principal Tsunade. You called?"

"Yes," Tsunade said as calmly as she could, "many times in fact."

Pein grinned, "well, I can't answer your phone calls when I'm on the plane, can I?"

Tsunade was silent for a while. Pein was quite sure she was drinking sake when he told her that they had been on the plane, now, she must be choking on her holy water.

"What?" she asked, despite hearing him too clearly, "you were all on the _plane_? Why? Where are you now?"

"Whoa Principal Tsunade," Pein said, "you're throwing me too many questions at once. Yes, we were on a plane. Well, why were we on a plane? Basically, we were trying to get somewhere. And where are we now? Erm… lets see, there is the beautiful blistering sun, the magnificent agriculture and landscape on the countryside and gosh, many, many charming looking houses. Konan, do you like one of those?"

"Pein," Tsunade grumbled, "tell me where your entire gang is."

Pein sighed, "Tuscany. Itachi and Yui are getting married, give your blessings and I have to go now. Besides, long distance is really expensive."

He hung up before she could say anything. Tsunade jabbed the 'callback' button on her office phone, she couldn't just be left in the dark like that, for pete sake, she's the Principal.

"Itachi and Yui are getting married?" she thought madly in her haywired mind, "in _Tuscany_?"

"_The number you've just called is not available pl_-"

She slammed the phone down before the idiot even had the chance to complete her sentence.

Tsunade took a huge gulp of sake from the tiny cup and refilled it again, only to have another big gulp from it. She did this to ease her anger and help her control her temper.

There was a knock on the door.

More trouble?

Shizune entered, "Principal Tsunade, I have found a substitute teacher for Kakashi's class."

A young man stepped in, dressing in black from head to toe. Strangely, he had sunglasses on, completely shielding his eyes away.

He reached out a hand and shook Tsunade's, "Kenji, Matsumoto Kenji."

* * *

Lunch was over and when they were all settled and all sure of the details for this evening.

"Remind me why we have to do this again," Tenten asked Ino.

Ino came closer and lowered her voice so Sai wouldn't hear, "I told you, one of the steps to achieving a good and health relationship is to get approval from your date's friends."

"So he's getting our approval?" Tenten asked, before shaking her head, "no wait, who made up such a mad statement?"

Ino rolled her eyes, "Dummies Guide to Relationships."

"Tenten!" Neji hissed.

"The teacher is coming, gosh," Tenten said walking back to her seat.

A young man entered the class today, they had expected Shizune to come walking through those doors and start yakking and yakking about Terminal Velocity or crack some shitty Physics joke. But her presence would've been more enlightening than the teacher that stood before them.

All of a sudden, they silently laughed at those stupid jokes. They wanted Shizune back.

"My name is Matsumoto Kenji," the man, claiming to be called Kenji said, "call me Kenji sen- sei, not Ken sen- sei or Kenny sen- sei, but Kenji sen- sei. Understand?"

A tired 'yes' ran across the class.

Kenji straightened himself, "Understand?" he repeated, this time slamming on end of the wooden ruler on to the board, making a very painful sound.

"Yes," everyone said in sheer unison.

He nodded and took a seat at the teacher's table, "tell me, is everyone back from lunch? Matsuri!"

She stood up and held a firm posture, she looked around the room and everyone was present, "yes Kenji sen- sei."

"Yes what?" Kenji asked, "Matsuri?"

Matsuri gulped, "yes, everyone is present Kenji sen- sei."

"Sit down," he commanded, "Lee, I see that have a missing classmate. Tell me, where is she."

Lee stood up, shaking madly, "Anko is… Anko is… with Kakashi sen- sei, Kenji sen- sei."

"Ino," he called her, "do you know where to two of them are?"

Ino thought for a while, "no I don't know where they are, Kenji sen- sei."

"Anyone," Kenij said, "anyone knows where the two of them are?"

Everyone shook their heads. Nobody knew.

Kenji frowned and shook his head, disappointedly, "flip open your workbooks and do everything from chapter one to thirteen now."

Nobody groaned like how they would and did as they were told. Carefully trying not to make any eye contact with Kenji.

He walked out of the class seeing that all the students have started on their first question.

"Boss," he said when the receiving line picked up, "this is Matsumoto reporting, sir. None of Hatake's students know of their whereabouts, sir."

"Ok then," the boss said, "stay there in case Hatake or Mitarashi tries to contact any of them. We need to commence the cloning project soon."

* * *

School ended a few minutes earlier for some of them as the last period was talent class and most of their instructors weren't there.

Temari and Shikamaru weren't among the ones who were released early. They met after school to collect Pochi from the cleaners.

They got into the limousine waiting for them at the usual spot and drove to the groomers.

"I hope that Itsudo guy is working today," Temari said when they were on their way there, "he kept the bloody animals in the shop the whole night!"

They limousine stopped in front of the groomers and much to their surprise, there were many, many police officers gathered at the front of the groomers.

They got out, planning just to get Pochi and go away without making any trouble or having to go thorough any troublesome interviews or questionings.

"Excuse me," Shikamaru asked one of the dumber looking policeman, "I'm here to get our pet back, it's brown weasel."

The policeman examined them from head to toe, "do you know what happened to the owner of this shop? Kawasaki Itsudo?"

Shikamaru looked at Temari and made a face, this was the kind of mess they didn't want to get into.

"Er… no," Temari said.

The policeman placed his hand on his hips and looked around proudly, "he's father stole the Statue of David from the museum downtown and is due for jail, but his son, Itsudo was willing to take his father's place, so now he's arrested instead of his father. An eye for an eye."

Temari rolled her eyes, this wasn't fair at all, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. It's not Itsudo's fault, it's that Kawasaki guy's fault, how can you allow such things to happen? The KPD (Konoha Police Department) is fucked up."

Shikamaru shoot her a glare and nudged her, "Don't mind her. She failed a biology test today so she's pretty angry. She studied so hard. You know what I mean, I guess I have to get her home before she fails another test."

Shikamaru pulled Temari and Pochi in their ride before the policeman could stop them and send to their headquarters for insulting a government department.

"He could've got you arrest or detained," Shikamaru told her once the groomers were no longer in sight, "it was Itsudo's wish to take Kawasaki's place."

Temari frowned and stroked Pochi which laid calmly on her lap. She didn't reply Shikamaru and kept silent. She would've argued if it was some other person, but it's Shikamaru and he always got the best of her.

"You're being troublesomely quiet," Shikamaru said.

She looked at him, "who's going to take care of it when we go sailing later?"

He rolled his eyes and pointed to his butler driving, "him."

* * *

Hinata met Neji at the main gate of the school and beckoned him to follow her to a car park near by.

He was beginning to feel suspicious, why a car park? Why can't it be in school? Neji suspected that Tenten had some gang there ready to bash him up and Hinata is just luring him there.

But Hinata didn't seem like the violent kind of person.

"Hinata," he asked, "did Tenten ask you to do this?"

She stopped and turned to him, "Tenten? Since when was she involved in this?"

"Nevermind," Neji shrugged, "I don't know what I'm saying these days."

Hinata raised a brow, but decided not to pursue the matter and continued leading him to her father's car.

"Neji!"

Neji looked up and saw a man that vaguely looked like him, the older version, leaning against a black car. He was waving at him, asking him to come closer.

"This is my father," Hinata said once they were close enough, "Hyuga Hiashi."

Neji smiled at the guy and shook his hand, "hello Mr. Hyuga."

Hiashi smiled back and carefully looked at Neji, "I suppose Hinata told you a whole other reason for me wanting to see you. Neji, I'm your uncle."

Neji took a step back, "uncle?"

Hiashi nodded, "my brother is your father. You were adopted weren't you?"

Neji kept silent, unable to full grasp what was thrown at him.

"It was a long time ago, when you were still a baby. The Hyuga clan came together and had a gathering in a near by forest. There were many people there and they wanted to see you, the Hyuga clan's next prodigy. You were passed from parent to parent to parent and my brother lost track of who had you. Soon after, he started calling your name, trying to find you, but you weren't there, nobody knew where you were. We lost you." Hiashi explained, "you father searched the forest for days and days and one day, he never came back. My brother was killed by in a bear attack. Neji, I finally found you."

"I don't really believe this," Neji said, taking another step back, "even if it's true."

* * *

Sakura sat on the hood of the jeep, reading A Midsummer's Night Dream by Shakespeare. She heard loud footsteps and tons of laughing and looked up.

It was Naruto and his friends walking towards her direction.

"Eh Naruto," she called, "where's Tenten?"

"Oh, she packing the soccer balls," he said, "her turn today! Oh and Hinata told me that you told her to tutor me math because you want me to be in your class next year."

Sakura was confused, "what?"

Naruto grinned, "I'm flattered Sakura. And I have to admit, I was once interested in you, believe it. But you shook me off. Honestly, I've quite drawn to this girl, but I don't mind giving you another chance. Believe it."

Sakura didn't quite get what Naruto was trying to say, and she would want to get it either, "I don't know what you're saying but I'm sure I don't need another chance."

Naruto grinned, "don't deny it, Hinata told me. Believe it. Are you sure you don't want to give it a go?"

Sakura was very nonchalant about it, "yes I'm positively sure."

Naruto nodded sullenly and left with Kiba and Lee behind him.

Sakura continued to read her book before she was interrupted by another set of loud footsteps.

"What do you want Naruto?" she asked, closing her book and looking up.

She realised that Naruto had already left the school and that the loud footsteps weren't his. Rather, it belonged to the guy who was sitting on the hood of the black car next to hers.

"Sasuke?" she called and noticed he was quietly reading her Romeo and Juliet book, "aren't you going home?"

He shook his head, flipping the page.

She felt the need to talk to him. It annoys her having someone she knows next to her and not being able to engage in a conversation, it's like a very awkward barrier between people.

"Why were you walking with such heavy footsteps?" she asked, hoping it didn't sound too nosy.

He pointed to the school gate in a distance. It was being hogged up by fangirls that were not from their school, screaming through the metal poles for Sasuke's attention.

It would explain why he isn't going home, he couldn't. As much as he would want to run them over, the law is keeping him from doing so.

"Can't you ask them to go away?" Sakura asked.

This time, he looked up, casually closing the book as he did so, "a pack of wolves would stop at nothing to get that juicy, tender flesh before them."

"Well, they would if it's already taken?" Sakura said as a matter of factly, "Sai's doing the same isn't he?"

Sasuke leaned back on his hood, his head resting upon the car's windshield, "smart. Why didn't I think of that earlier?"

Sakura smiled, "since I helped you, you have to help me," she took out a tiny ziplock bag from her school bag, "does this belong to you?"

He came down from his car and walked over to Sakura to take a closer look of what the ziplock held, "you think this is my hair, don't you?"

Sakura nodded, "sure looks like it. It was on my pillow, what did you do when you came into my room?"

Sasuke took it from her and held it against the sunlight, "have you ever considered that these strands of hair might be Hinata's?"

Sakura was stumped. Now that she thought of it, it could very well be Hinata's. After all, Sasuke and Hinata's hair did have a very close shade.

"I… I…" she frowned, "are you sure you didn't do anything?"

Sasuke passed the ziplock back to her, "what are you suggesting I did?"

She unconsciously brought her hand to her neck and started feeling around an area on the side of it, "well, I… I-"

"Are you a fan of Twilight?" Sasuke interrupted her, "I didn't bite your neck or suck your blood while you were sleeping. _I'm not a hero_."

"That's what Edward said Twilight," Sakura said, "is this some kind of joke? Cause you're being accurately freaky."

Sasuke scoffed, jumped onto the hood of the jeep and sat next to her, "I read the book Sakura, I didn't like it that much. Everyone is saying that it's awesome and fantastic and spectacular and whatnot, but reading the summary, I'm quite sure it wouldn't gain my support. I was right, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse until Breaking Dawn, it sucks. It's all fluffy and romantic, all things I hate."

Sakura couldn't stand someone insulting a good book like that, it is something that the writer had put her heart and soul into, it should be appreciated no matter how bad.

"Then why did you read it?" Sakura stopped, "you could've stopped at Twilight, but why? Why did you read it?"

Sasuke glanced at her and grinned, he had been waiting for her to say that. He brought her round and round, until she asked him that question.

His eyes were on her, to be exact, she was looking into his eyes and he was looking into his. There was a glassy countenance, a gleam in those ruby orbs. It loomed with darkness and mystery unlike any she had seen before. All of a sudden, he seem to morph into the Sasuke she had seen in her dream. A vaguely masculine body, translucent fair skin and piercing red eyes. It scared her, yet the periodic movement of his chest was endearing.

"Why did I read the book?" he repeated her question.

It was one of those times when everything around the two of you muted. Life slows down, everything else goes a shade lighter. It's like an eraser has been swiped across her background, making everything else less visible and more blurry. Then strangely, there was that vivid scent of rosemary that traced the air, dancing around the two of them.

The Rosemary smells good.

"Because," Sasuke's voice took an octave lower, echoing her head, pausing the world, "because you read it."

And everything had to go back to the way it was so rapidly, too quick for her to seize the moment.

She can hear the cheers of Sasuke fangirls outside the school gates, she can see them too clearly.

When Sakura was all dazed and bothered by the sudden change in the surroundings, Sasuke leaned in and did a quick peck on her forehead before jumping off the hood, heading straight for his car.

Sakura hair rose upon contact with Sasuke. She wondered if the kiss had been real or just her imagination. Thankfully, the fangirls were dramatic enough to give her an answer, they fainted and screeched like mad sirens. Sasuke did kiss her on the forehead.

"Sasuke," she called.

He was already seated in his Volvo and ready to drive away. Sasuke seemed to have heard her call as he winded down his window, lowered a pair of sunglasses he have so quickly donned on and glanced at her with too soft eyes.

"Yes?" Sasuke asked, "Sakura?"

She simply adored the way her three syllabic name rolled on his tongue. It would be bliss to just record it down and set it on loop, playing it over and over again for her pleasure.

Now that she thought of it, she didn't know what she should say to him. Currently, stupid things are the most possible.

"Don't do that again," she said trying so desperately to hide a blush that is just beneath her skin.

He pushed his sunglasses back up the bridge of his nose and grinned, "come here, I'm returning Romeo and Juliet. I don't like it at all."

Sakura got off the hood and walked towards his lowered window.

"But sometimes I like to imagine that I'm Romeo and you're Juliet and that Shakespeare is still alive so that he can make the end a little more happier," Sasuke said, handing her the book, "here."

Sakura took it from him but before she could fully retract her arm, Sasuke held on to her wrist.

"One more thing Sakura," Sasuke said, "this one is a secret."

Basically, when someone is about to tell you a secret, you have to lean in close in any case someone nearby were to accidentally hear it. That was exactly what Sakura did, it is like a natural thing she did when her brain processes the word 'secret'.

"Yeah?" she stammered, regretting what she did now that they were of the same level and a little too close.

A smirk ran across his face as he came close to her ear, sending chills down her spine.

His breath ran down her neck and into her shirt, graced across her chest, falling down her body, circling her groin and lower.

Sakura tried to avoid the fact that she wanted to screw Uchiha Sasuke bad.

"Sakura," he hissed into her ear, "you're my dirty, little secret."

She felt her body tense up and her insides running around, bumping into her nerves.

He casually kissed her cheek which made her numb all over, unable to think, unable to speak, unable to move.

Which made her a hundred percent vulnerable to Sasuke.

"Sakura," his voice circled her mind, "Tenten is calling you."

The lovely way he called her, ironically, knocked the senses back into her. Tenten was calling.

She straightened up and looked around, she saw Tenten waving at her, coming in her direction.

She heard an engine revving up and tried to catch a last glimpse of Sasuke through the closing window. He smiled at her and drove off, leaving her completely mystified.

"Sakura," Tenten said once she came up to her, "what's wrong? Did Sasuke say something?"

Sakura looked at Tenten was an extremely helpless face, "he kissed me. Twice."

Tenten looked as if she was about to faint, "are you freaking serious?"

Sakura couldn't heard Tenten as her attention was captured by the Volvo s40 driving out of the school gates, with fangirls trying to hold on to it to catch a glimpse of Sasuke.

He lied.

He could've left, knowing that he wouldn't knock into anyone. But he didn't because he wanted to tell her things.

"You're are modern day Romeo."

* * *

He ignored all the screeching fangirls all around his car, trying to break his bulletproof windows to grab him or at least trying to open his car doors. He even ignored the ones who pounced on his windshield, blocking the view of the road in front of him, he was used to this and could drive home with his eyes closed.

He ignored them because he was thinking about the girl he left so confused in the school carpark. Today was pretty much a success. At least he would seem cooler and more appealing to a certain girl. Appearing cool and slick in front of Sakura wasn't an easy tasks, you never know when you're looking stupid or when you're going to break out of it.

Sasuke liked the way he made her feel. He liked the lost expression on her face- her deer caught in headlights look, the way she tries to hide her blush under her skin. Her blushes were obvious and her attempts to hide them are cute.

"I know you can't hear me you damned bitches," he said out loud to those fangirls, "but I'm going to tell you this: I going to have a fucking girlfriend and there's nothing you can do about it."

He said it like a little spoilt child. Which is what happens when Uchiha Sasuke in a state of pure ecstasy.

* * *

The place was ambient and enchanting. Old Churches were the most beautiful. Everyone in or related to the Akatsuki were present, seated comfortably at the benches that flooded the interior.

Their attention was on the two people in the front, backing facing them. They were getting married and it can't be more beautiful than this.

There were no food, no decorations, no music, no classy outfits, just their casual clothes and a few friends to witness this glorious occasion.

"I, Uchiha Itachi, take you, Angela Yui, to be my wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day then I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and the bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for all eternity."

Now, they were in an official bind they cannot break from.

He looked into her eyes and knew that that marrying her was the only thing he would never regret in the long run, it was the right thing. Now, he knew that although she would leave him soon, she would always have his affection and his love. After all, you can't divorce a dead person.

"You… you… may… damn, I'm not good with ethics, fucking kiss the bride already," Hidan, their legal father, muttered.

Everyone clapped like civilized adults and not like the rogue teenagers they were, this meant something to them, this meant something to Itachi, this meant everything to Yui.

Pein stood up, "get ready for the wedding dinner."

* * *

Everyone sat around a circular table in the second floor of a restaurant in the city. They served brilliant Italian food. They all had salad as it was the restaurant's specialty. It was decked with grilled beef and chicken with a variety of fishes. Although it was a bad mixture with salad, they had cups and cups of coffee, yes the Italians did coffee fucking well.

They eat, they drink, they talk, they did everything but blend in. Everyone around them frequently look at them seeing that they were foreign and among the most beautiful teenagers they had ever seen.

"This," Yui said slipping a chuck of cooked beef onto Itachi's plate, "is awesome."

Itachi took it by the fork and looked at it's tender flesh before devouring it, "Sasori," he turned to the man next to him, "do you have a junior called Kankuro?"

Sasori nodded, getting a spoon of salad into his mouth, "why'd you ask?"

"Kankuro has been telling people that I'm engaged," Itachi said.

Sasori chewed on his food slowly, "well you're married now, aren't you?"

Itachi rolled his eyes, "engaged to someone else."

Sasori stopped chewing, "someone else? Like?"

Itachi shook his head, "I don't know."

"I find that Kankuro a little suspicious," he said, "do you know that he's the late Kazekage's son? I've only just recently remembered."

Itachi played around with his fork, "oh yes, you're from Suna, aren't you?"

Sasori nodded in response, "why would come here to receive education, the education in Suna is far better. I'm quite certain he has a motive. I think he's trying to continue what he's father started, he's trying to find his sister. She was lost a few years back, now I think he has found her."

"Ok," Itachi thought for a while, "so? How is this have any relation to the fucking rumor?"

Sasori paused and considered the possibilities, "he's not the kind that would go around spreading mindless rumors, believe me, I know he wouldn't. Gaara wouldn't too. So why? Unless they're trying to prove a point. You know how you would be if someone is comes and tell you that you're their long lost sister and you freak, you won't believe them. I think Gaara and Kankuro are trying to persuade their sister to return to Suna with them."

"Question," Itachi said, "who's their sister?"

* * *

Part ii

* * *

"Temari!" Ino screamed, "hurry up, I want to see how you look like!"

They heard ripping of cloth in the bathroom.

"Ridiculous," she said stepping out of the toilet.

The others that stood at the entrance in a semi- circle gasped once they saw her. Especially Ino, which chose the outfit for Temari, and everyone else.

"Ridiculously good," Ino commented circling Temari, "gosh, I'm a genius!"

Temari's sundress was in a light shade of purple. It is spaghetti striped- ok, all of theirs is- and the neckline sunk all the way down to the bottom of her breast. The top is knitted and the rest is purple cloth with lilac flowers on it, flowing down to just above her knees.

"I'm going to wear a jacket over this," Temari muttered and stepped away for Ino's next victim to enter the toilet.

Hinata shyly stepped into the toilet with her dress in hand and quietly closed the door behind her.

"At least your dress isn't so cheesy- ly matched with your hair," Sakura pointed to her dress, "it practically screams 'I LOVE PINK' gosh."

Sakura's sundress was a few shades darker than her hair. It is shaped the same way as Temari's sundress- deadly neckline, above knee length- but it has intricate white bohemian designs on the edges, especially near the bottom and yellow straps over her shoulders.

"Isn't pink your favorite color?" Ino asked, trying to defend her taste, "anyways, this is bound to knock Sasuke off his feet. But really, why you? In what way do I lose out to you?"

Sakura glared at Ino, "that's mildly offending if you haven't noticed."

Before Ino could speak up for herself, Hinata stepped out of the bathroom.

Hinata's sundress is mostly white with blue bohemian designs. Unlike Temari's and Sakura's dress, hers doesn't go too low, in fact, it had buttons along the neckline which prevented so. It is slightly shorter than the previous two's it looks totally innocent.

Tenten looked at Hinata's outfit and nodded, "I know Ino has made wild choices with your dresses, but Hinata's, gosh, she did quite a good job there."

"Yes," Sakura agreed with Hinata and looked at Ino, "you messed up mine but you didn't mess up hers. Do you have something against me?"

"And me?" Temari asked donning on her black hoodie, "I feel half naked."

Ino shook her hand, "oh please, you're all too naïve! Tenten, your turn!"

Tenten stepped into the toilet and came out seconds later, thoroughly annoyed.

"What are you trying to do to me?" Tenten said in Ino's face, "I feel madly fat."

"If you're fat," Hinata said, "what am I?"

Tenten's sundress is different from the others. It is white based and had retro flower patterns printed at random parts of the dress. Thankfully for her, it didn't have a low neckline, it cut straight across from pit to pit. However, it was short, mad short. It went all the way up half her thighs.

"This is mean…" Tenten growled, "yours better not be the best."

Ino smirked, "oh, it is…"

* * *

Naruto called Kiba that evening only to find that the line is engaged. He tried calling Lee, which picked up the phone after two rings.

"Hello?" Lee said, his voice a little different.

"Lee?" Naruto asked, concerned, "are you alright?"

Lee sniffed and blew his nose, "I'm down with the common cold, I don't think I can go sailing with you and youthful Sakura!"

"Is Kiba going?" Naruto asked.

"I'm thinking not," Lee said, "he is all worried about his senior, I don't know why."

"So I'm going alone?" Naruto asked, disbelieved, his two friends had abandoned him.

"Believe it," Lee struggled a laugh, "sorry."

* * *

Shino sat with his hands crossed, gazing at Sai, "you're asking me to go sailing?"

Sai nodded, smiling.

Shino scoffed, "in the water? Sailing?"

Sai nodded again.

"I don't go near water," Shino said, "it's bad for bugs."

"But you're not bringing any bugs along," Sai reasoned.

Sasuke came into the room, "he thinks he's a bug, Sai."

* * *

"Vola!" Ino posed as she came out from the toilet, "impressive isn't it?"

The four girls looked at Ino's outfit and their jaws could have fell at that instant.

Ino's sundress is completely purple, dark purple. There is no patterns or any designs on it. It is just plain, dark purple cloth all over. It has the same structure as Hinata's dress- it's neckline isn't too low. The dress is also surprisingly long, it stops just below the knee.

"Ino," Sakura said after a long pause, "it's the longest."

"And the plainest," Temari added, "are you sure that's your dress?"

Ino spun around in her dress and looked at herself in the full length mirror, "jealous? Sai told me he likes simplicity, ok, I'll give him simplicity. Is this simple enough."

Tenten tried not to laugh, "a little too simple."

Ino jumped on the spot happily, "great," she looked at her wrist watch, "it's almost five, we better get going."

They got out of the house into the jeep, it was Tenten's turn to drive. Tenten took the wheel.

"You're wearing a windbreaker?" Ino asked, seeing the cream colored windbreaker she had on, "and Hinata and Sakura, you guys are wearing a cardigan!"

Sakura looked at her red cardigan, "it's not that bad, for pete sake Ino don't give me that face, it's the evening, at the sea. It's going to be cold."

Hinata nodded, covering herself in her grey cardigan, "I think you should get yourself something to wear too."

Ino frowned and trudged into the house to find a jacket.

* * *

"I'm sea sick," Chouji said over the phone, "sorry Shikamaru, you're doing this on your own, with Temari of course."

Shikamaru bit his lips, "troublesome, you're the one who forced me into this! And now you're backing out?"

He could hear Chouji grabbing Pochi from the ground and settling it down on his lap, "don't tell me you would go either way?"

Chouji is right, he would've gone even if Chouji didn't make him. He would've because Ino would make Temari go. And as he know, he couldn't do many things without her.

He slid his phone back into his pocket and sighed, realizing that they have reached their destination, "how was my life going before her?" he asked himself.

"We're here," the Butler said stopping the ride, "call me when you're on your way back, Young Master Nara."

As soon as he got out of the limousine , he saw Neji and Sasuke park their cars in the parking lots.

"Hey Shikamaru," Neji waved, "glad you could come, where's Chouji?"

Shikamaru pulled a face, "that bastard is sea sick."

The three of them started heading towards the yacht in a distance.

"Sai is already at the yacht," Sasuke waved at Sai, "Shino couldn't come, personal issues."

Shikamaru nodded, he knew Shino was a weird guy, "he probably thinks that the water is not good for him," Shikamaru thought.

"Sasuke!"

"Doesn't sound like a fangirl," Neji said looking around.

Shikamaru pointed to a figure coming closer and closer, "more like fanboy, it's Naruto."

He came up to them, panting madly, "hi guys, I was about to call you, but I saw you guys. Coincidence, eh?" he looked at the three men that stood before him and heaved a sigh of relief, "good thing I chose to wear my shirt and Bermudas instead of a tux. Believe it! I almost did."

They looked at each other and coincidentally, they were all in plain shirts and Bermudas.

They met Sai at his yacht, he was talking to this dorky looking guy on the cockpit.

"Whoa," Naruto gasped when he saw which yacht it was, "this is freaking huge."

Sasuke grinned at his naivety, "it's a luxury yacht Naruto, what do you expect?"

Sai came to them and smiled, "I have a problem. Anyone here is licensed to steer a yacht at night?"

All of shook their heads. Sai shrugged, he could've guessed.

"I seriously doubt him," Sai told them softly, "he got lost finding my yacht."

They looked around and true enough, it was easy finding the yacht. It's the only fucking one around, the others are just tiny boats.

"I can do it," the lanky guy came to them and said, "pretty easy, even my grandma can do it. I was born in a family of sailors," he laughed a snorty laugh.

Yep, they were going to have problems.

The guy looks like the kind who would trip over his own feet. He had huge dorky glasses on with thick lenses, he parted his hair in the middle and wore his pants too high up. The basic and typically nerd look. The bow tie around his neck completes the look.

"Oh my god," he said focused at a point, "she's hot."

That five other guys turned in the direction he was looking at and much to their amazement it was Ino and gang. Ino, the one that's obviously leading is looking into her compact mirror. Hinata which was beside her is flipping through some art book. Tenten which is next to Hinata is playing Super Mario on her PSP. Sakura which stood on Ino's other side has been reading her book ever since they stepped onto the harbor. Temari, next to Sakura, is busy playing with her iPhone. And frankly, they did look cool walking like that and very hot.

Their eyebrows twitched and their hands started shaking wildly. None of them could imagine that guy trying to get with any of the girls.

They turned and surrounding him giving him a glare each which he seemed to have ignored.

"She my girlfriend," they said in unison.

They were lying, none (beside from Sai) of them had girlfriends.

The five guys looked at one another, giving each other the I- didn't- know- she- was- your- girlfriend look.

"Are you sure?" the dorky guy asked, pushing up his glasses, "I mean, they're pretty hot."

Sasuke grabbed his by the collar, "don't even think about it mister."

His jaw shook as he looked from boy to boy, aware of their annoyance.

"Ok, ok," he said, trying to get Sasuke to let go of him.

"Sai!" Ino sqeauled as she ran up to the pale boy, "this is so awesome!"

They all got on the yacht and started heading out to sea.

"This is cool," Tenten said as she stood on the deck of the yacht looking into the endless stretch of the ocean.

Ino who was next to her, is jumping up and down in excitement, "where are we going Sai?"

Everyone looked at him. True, they didn't know where they were going to.

"Can't we just sail around the waters a bit, not having any destination in mind?" Sai asked, settling down on one of the cushioned seats on the deck.

Sakura took a seat on a long sofa and read her book quietly. As excited as she was, she could run around and jump around like the others, it would be harder to avoid blushing every time she sees Sasuke. When she's relaxed and immersed in her own world, it would be a lot easier to stop the blushing avoid the gazes.

"A Midsummer's Night Dream," a voice whispered into her ear, "you look pretty today, Sakura."

She jolted when her name was called, she immediately knew who it was, there is no one that could make her name sound so beautiful, no one but Uchiha Sasuke.

"Sasuke," she said, almost clamping her thumb with the book, "don't scare me like that."

He sat next to her, "no, you scared me," he said, getting the book from her, "_he_ could've killed you."

Sakura knew what he meant, "my friends don't talk about that anymore, and they seem to have forgotten. At least I didn't get killed."

"But I haven't yet forgot about it," Sasuke said, his voice a little harder, "it plagues my dreams Sakura, I can't forgot the scene," he paused before taking in a deep depressing breath, "I can imagine you dying in my arms."

"Sasuke, I-"

"I took you to the dance because Karin bullied you," Sasuke interrupted her, "I saved you from the killer because Sai told me to. I started looking at you because Itachi opened my eyes. I saw you when you slept because I was looking for Neji. Why do I chance upon so many instances with you? And it 'clicked' when I realized that I was trying so hard to impress you, trying to read every book that you read, trying so hard to hide these affections from you Sakura. I never loved anyone, let alone liked anyone. In fact, I hate a lot. I hate fangirls, I hate posers, I hate a lot of things. But if there's one thing I don't hate, that is you," he paused again, allowing her to take in whatever he had just said, he didn't want to repeat it, "You look very pretty today Sakura."

He took her by her jaw and pulled her closer, "you look pretty everyday," and he took her by the lips.

Someone coughed.

Sasuke and Sakura tore apart from each other and looked around, thankfully only Temari witnessed the whole thing.

"Sai told me that there is a room downstairs," she smiled weakly, "it's highly recommended."

Sai came over to her and whispered something to her which made her laugh.

"And there are condoms in the drawer if you need them," Temari said before turning to Sai, "condoms? Why the hell would you have condoms on board?"

Sai gestured around, "there are five guys and five girls on board, you analyze movies, what happens in those cliché chick flicks?"

Temari nodded, "right… I can't imagine it happening here."

Naruto came over and tapped Sai on the shoulder, "do you have drinks on board? Like punch or milkshake?"

"Or beer?" the dorky guys asked.

Shikamaru looked at him, "are you sure about this? It's practically drink driving."

The guy ignored him and looked at Sai expectantly, "so? Do you have any?"

Sai rolled his eyes, seeing that the driver is some what older than them, he gave in, and turned Naruto, "yeah, it's down stairs, take some beer too, for the guy."

Ino slinked her arms around Sai's neck from behind and leaned the side of her face on his back, "I told you not to read that dummies book."

Sai smiled and took himself out of her grasp and faced her, "I won't take any chances."

Ino frowned playfully and pulled him over to the front of the deck to catch the perfect view of the ocean, "my dad reads 'How to be a Millionaire in a week' and it's been… four years and look at me, am I a millionaire? I say stread Dummies!"

He smiled, leaning against the railings and looking at Ino in her pretty little dress, "I like your dressing today, it's much better than what you usually wear."

"She made an effort," Tenten said coming over to the two of them, "a big one in fact. For once, you got her thinking. She hardly ever does that, she's like the classic dumb blond."

"Heard that," Temari shouted from the couch.

Tenten ignored her, "I never really liked any of her boyfriends before, they're all either really snobbish or really materialistic, they go for the looks. Good job Sai, you're nothing like them, although you're fucking rich. So Ino, you better remember what nice friend I have been and give me some damn money when you get married."

Ino's eyes widened at Tenten's frankness, "hey I-"

Tenten did allow Ino the time to express her mortification, "I better go tell Sakura about this, remind her what a great friend I had been seeing how Sasuke so easily professed his undying love for her."

"You're getting dramatic eh?" Sai asked.

Tenten gave him a quick grin before turning back intending to rush to Sakura. However, she had a hurdle to jump over before reaching her goal. As soon as she turned around, she clashed into a somewhat soft pillar.

"A pillar in the middle of the deck? A soft pillar for that matter?" she thought, laughing at her insanity, before the 'pillar' cleared it's throat.

She looked up and what do you know? It's the infamous Hyuga Neji. She scowled and backed away before noticing Hinata next to him.

"So now you're getting a rich boyfriend too?" Tenten asked, expecting herself to be rather contented with her to be benefits, unexpectedly feeling a little betrayed, like a fire of vengeance had ignite in her heart.

Tenten noticed her sour, bitter, hateful tone in those words and immediately regretted being so easy to read. How can she give off her emotions to easily? Hasn't living a lifetime with Temari taught her something?

"Er… no," Hinata said rather offended at Tenten's tone, "I'm not the money sucking person you make me sound like. We were just talking about something, remember my dad wanted to meet him after school? Turns out, he's my-"

Tenten waited for her to say something but Neji stopped her. Apparently he didn't want Tenten to know how Hinata would be related to him.

"He's your?" Tenten asked, probing Hinata, hoping she'd say this time, "what is he?"

Hinata looked at Neji for the permission to disclose this news, he shook his head. After all, he had the rights not to reveal that to anyone until he is ready.

"What?" Tenten felt even more betrayed than she already did, "now you can't tell me? I hate to be nosy and all curious but you're so obviously trying to hide this away from me and only me, I can't ignore it."

Neji sighed and looked at Sai and Ino behind Tenten. The looked made Sai and Ino walk away, far from the trio that stood that their lovely spot.

"It's not only you," Neji said calmly, "don't make yourself seem so special to me."

Tenten clenched her fist and gritted her teeth, "so we're setting the bars now? You can keep secrets from me but I can't?"

"When did I-"

"You can do whatever you like with me but I can't?"

"What are you t-"

"I should've shreaded those damned cards in the first place," Tenten said, "I shouldn't have listened to you."

"Damn it," Neji took her by the shoulders and shook her, "what's wrong with you? You're the one that has been make all this shit up. I never forced you to tell me anything. I never forced you to do anything. Why are you making such a big fuss out of nothing."

"Hyuga Neji," Tenten held a finger at him, "you fucking hell kissed me. You didn't explain anything and left me hanging."

"Because you didn't ask!"

Hinata gasped, "you kissed Tenten?"

"I may not be a girly girl like Ino or a romantic girl like Sakura," Tenten muttered, "but like every girl, the first kiss matters alot."

Hinata's eyes widened madly, "oh no you didn't."

Neji looked Tenten in the eye and realized that she was being very very very serious about this whole first kiss logic to girls. He couldn't tell her that he was seeing 10 so Sai told him to kiss her to get rid of it. She would probably think he's psychotic. He then concluded that it'll be wise to lie to her. Ironic, considering the fact the lying has never been a wise choice.

"Ok, fine," Neji held his hands up as if he was surrendering, "you got me. I like you ok?"

This would their little secret, between Hinata, Tenten and himself. That way, when he decides to take it all back, it wouldn't be too hard.

"Oh my gawd!" Naruto included himself into the conversation seconds ago and had heard what Neji said, "you like Tenten?"

Neji cupped his face in his hands and slowly pulled his face into a long frown. Plan failed.

"Everyone!" Naruto ran around screaming, "everyone Neji confessed."

By everyone, he meant Sai, Ino, Shikamaru and Temari, though there are a few which would not be listening. Like Shikamaru, he is sleeping ever so soundly on the couch. Temari has been playing with her iPhone and had her ear phones on. Sai and Ino just ignored Naruto.

"I don't think anybody is listening to you," Neji muttered.

"I- He- Why-" Tenten was lost for words, she didn't know how to react to these type of things, "what the hell?"

"You heard him," Naruto said, "he likes you. Believe it!"

Tenten glared at Naruto, "no I don't believe it, he is too much of a bastard for me to believe."

"Figures," Neji rolled his eyes, crossing his hands and leaning against the railings, "you're definitely not like other girls, and I meant that in a bad way."

Hinata nodded, "that's Tenten for you, she is never quite so normal."

Tenten shot Hinata a glare, "which side are you on?"

Naruto scratched his head confused, "what would a normal girl do?"

"Squeal in delight and graciously take Neji's outreached hand even though he is so obviously insincere about the whole damn thing," Tenten explained with a hint of annoyance in her voice, "pshh, like me? You have to be kidding."

Neji moved his jaw around hoping in vain that it would some how or rather quell his anger. If she didn't want him to tell her that he likes her, what does she want him to do? Give an explanation damn it! He already gave her a fucking explanation that would (hopefully) secure his life and probably make her a little less angry.

"What do you want me to say then?" Neji asked, his voice a little harder, "you want an explanation for the kiss, I gave it to you. You said it meant a lot, ok, so I tell you I like you. What the fuck more do you want?"

"What do I want?" Tenten repeated her own question, taking one step towards Neji and cornering him, "I want the truth Hyuga."

Naruto had this shiver that traveled down his spine, totally telling him that it isn't advisable staying in a five foot radius around those two people, probably volcanoes in disguise, that are about to erupt.

He took a huge gulp of his punch and held on to Hinata's wrist intending to pull her away.

Hinata did s tiny jolt upon contact with Naruto. The patch of skin that laid under his palm and around it flared up like his hand was on fire.

"Come Hinata," he said pulling her away, "I think we better get some more punch for them."

Hinata nodded, her voice seemed to have ran away from her. She tried to think straight, because all Naruto was doing is screw her mind up.

"Ok," Hinata told herself as calmly as she could as she followed Naruto away from Neji and Tenten, "to calculate the amount of kinetic energy, you have to… have to… damn it, what do I have to do? Yes! mgh… mass multiply gravitational field strength multiply height… NO. No, that doesn't seem right… ahhh… physics has always been peanuts for me, why am I forgetting a bloody formula?"

And in a time a pure panic, her voice seems to activate itself again.

"Stop," she said, partially overjoyed to hear her voice, "Naruto stop for a minute will you I have something very important to ask Temari."

She turned to Temari, who sat lifelessly on the couch, listening to Panic at the Disco.

"Temari," Hinata shook her out of_ Camisado_ (PATD song), "how do you calculate the amount of kinetic energy?"

Temari gave Hinata a look, "is there a physics test I have forgotten about?"

"0.5 multiplied by mass multiplied by velocity squared," Shikamaru said, "and no, there isn't a physics test."

Naruto dragged Hinata away before Temari could ask anything. She raised a brow but ignored it. Sometimes, Hinata gets plain weird.

"Aren't you going to stop your sister before something happens?" Shikamaru asked looking at Tenten viciously pointing her finger at Neji, "it's odd calling her your sister, the two of you don't even look alike."

Temari slouched into the cushion of the seat and pulled the jacket tighter around her, "it's quite official that she isn't my sister. Tenten has been nice enough to ignore all the facts."

"Quite official?" Shikamaru asked.

"I have yet to hear it from my pa- I mean my _foster_ parents," Temari said, "they've been great actors and actresses to have been able to keep such an obvious secret."

Shikamaru nodded, agreeing with her. Temari is great at picking out lies. You have to be a fucking good actor to fool her and apparently her foster parents did.

"Well Gaara and Kankuro kind of confirmed it though," Temari stated, "in some fucked up way, they seem to make sense. I mean every girl dreams of royalty, and there is this one little girl out there who is royalty…" she paused and frowned, "now that plainly sounds like a line from Anastasia."

Shikamaru grinned, "are we going to start singing songs?"

Temari rolled her eyes, "it's too late for songs. Time does pass when you're having 'fun'. It's close to ten. Did I do anything constructive on board? No."

"We're not exactly having fun," Shikamaru said, "basically, we agreed to come because this is something new to us and it is- I must say- quite cool."

"You can get yourself a hundred yacht with all that money in your pocket," Temari pointed out, "it won't be too cool then," she turned to Sai which sat opposite her, "when are we heading back to the harbor?"

Sai looked at her in the most dumbfounded way possible, "heading back? Oh, right, we have to head back. I'll just have to tell the guy."

Sai stood up, planning to go up to tell the guy to turn back until Temari stopped him. Ino had shot her a you- go- instead look.

"I'll go," Temari said stopping Sai, "you sit here and do… do whatever. I have nothing to do anyways."

Shikamaru too stood up and volunteered to follow Temari remembering how grossly perverse the guy had been.

* * *

"What truth?" Neji asked as confidently as he could, he didn't want to be afraid of some girl that kicks balls around the muddy field.

That planted weird images in his mind, for all he knows, those balls might be his.

Damn it.

"You big fat liar," she poked his naval, "gosh you're really fat."

Neji looked down, "no I'm not. For your information I work out a lot… for you."

That was incredibly fluffy and mushy and gushy and all kinds of sweet and sugary things in the world combined. He couldn't believe those words actually came out from his mouth. Perhaps he is so desperate for survival, because the last time he checked, they were on board a moving boat in the middle of the fucking ocean and Tenten had him cornered against the waist high railings, intimidating him with a _finger_.

Momentarily, she seem to be taken aback by his statement, but she soon returned to her evil finger pointing bitch face, "ewww Neji, that was so… erghhhh, uurruukkk, ahhh, alalalalala…"

Neji gave her a quizzical expression, "what does 'erghhhh, uurruukkk, ahhh, alalalalala' mean?"

Tenten stopped to think of a proper word for this, but she couldn't no matter how much she struggled for a word, "you just sound like the Power Puff Girls."

"I'm surprised you even know them," Neji tried to suppress a smirk, "who do you like best? Blossom? Bubbles? Or Buttercup?"

Tenten's jaw just fell off, she couldn't believe what she was hearing, "I'm surprised you know their names. I don't even know their names. Hinata was crazy about them."

Neji nodded, "yeah, ok… It's just that I had a cousin that likes to watch Power Puff Girls when we were young and she would tell me all about them and stuff. I almost died listening to her talk about those girls."

* * *

She climbed up the flight of stairs to the cockpit where the guy should be at guiding the yacht. Shikamaru was just a few steps behind her.

"Who got you this dress anyway?" he asked on their way up.

"Ino," Temari said hoping he would not tell her how ridiculous she looked in it.

"Hallelujah Ino!" Shikamaru said in such a monotonous tone, "I better thank her."

Temari stopped in her steps upon hearing what he had to say about the dress, "what?"

"Troublesome," he muttered, "continue walking."

They came to the cockpit only to find the dorky looking guy seated on the wooden floor swaying his body around and shaking a bottle of beer in his hands.

He noticed the two of them and grinned widely so much so he almost torn his lips apart.

"Hi… people," he started laughing, "we are on a boat… wee… the sailor is really bad… he's not guiding the boat properly… haha. Ayoh maties… yoi yoi!"

They stared at him in utter amazement. This guy got drunk on one bottle of beer. Incredible.

"You're the fucking sailor," Shikamaru said squatting in front of the drunkard, "I'm not going to waste my efforts to get you to snap out of this, but tell me, where are we heading to?"

"I don't know," he grinned, and laughed and looked around, "but I know one thing, you're girlfriend is pretty."

Shikamaru sighed, "yeah she is my girlfriend so you can't look at her," he turned the guys face to him, "look at me. What do I have to do to get this thing to go back to the harbor?"

The guy jerked and started hiccupping, "seriously, I'm not qualified at all, just needed to the money… hahaha, so I lied… haha… and… and… I fooled you."

"Shikamaru," Temari called, "Ino, Sakura and Hinata are going to freak out like mad idiots with rabies when they hear this. I don't have much sanity to spare."

Shikamaru dropped the guy and looked at the controls, trying to find labels or a button that screams 'push me to get back to the harbor'. But nothing. Temari was looking around the cockpit for some instruction manual that Shikamaru can speed read through to learn how to operate the yacht but there isn't any.

"This sucks," Temari said as calmly as she can, "it's so dark I can't see anything ahead of us. Damn it."

"There must be another way," Shikamaru continued to look around hoping that a fairy god mother would see their distress and rescue them.

"We're screwed," Temari said, "we can call someone! Gosh! We can totally do that."

She took out her iPhone, but she couldn't think of anyone she could call for help.

Shikamaru took the phone from her and started to call the butler's mobile.

He waited for the ringing sound but there was none; it was then he realized that there was no network coverage wherever they were.

"Yes," he passed the phone back to her, "we're screwed. Can we tell this to someone who can handle it properly? Someone like Sasuke? Or Sai? Since it's his freaking yacht?"

Temari wasn't listening to him, her attention was on the dorky guy that had moved from his seated position, "what the fuck is he doing?"

Shikamaru looked at the direction she was pointing to and true enough, he was doing something weird, and dangerous.

"What the hell are you doing?" Shikamaru went over to him and grabbed him by the arm, "stop it, you might fall into the ocean, damn it."

The guy pointed into the clear black sky, "I see the light. I need to go towards to save myself, do you want to come with me?"

"Hell no," Shikamaru said trying to get that guy to stop his madness, "you will die!"

"Let me go," he demanded, "the light shan't kill me!" He bit Shikamaru's hand which held dearly to his arm, "you just don't want me to get there eh? I'll show you."

Shikamaru flinched and tightened his grip on the guy, praying he wouldn't bite his other hand, it was painful and it is the only way the guy would survive.

But the idiot bit him and he bit him hard, so hard Shikamaru had to let go and let the man fall into the ocean below them.

"You deserved that," Temari screamed at the guy in the ocean, "you fucking lied to us, you fucking got us lost and you fucking bit him. Fucktard," she looked at Shikamaru's hand, "that fucker has got razors for teeth."

"He's a bastard," Shikamaru said, "but we have to help him."

Temari sighed and gave him the most regrettable look, "I think it would be too late for that," she pointed to the dark ocean where the man fell into, "the turbines would've gotten him before we did."

Shikamaru spaced and nodded, "thank god it's so dark we can't see. We have to tell the others."

* * *

Naruto and Hinata caught Sasuke and Sakura watching Ellen Degeneres on the flat screen.

"Oi!" Naruto called, "do you know Tenten is on the brink of losing her mind?"

Sakura turned, "she has the second greatest temper among us!"

Sasuke looked at her, "who has the first?"

Hinata grinned, "Sakura."

"She could turn a boat upside down with her anger," Sakura said.

"We're on a yacht," Naruto stated happily, "they're different."

Sasuke hurried up to the deck, "in very little ways."

* * *

"YOU'RE A BASTARD!"

"STOP PUSHING ME!"

"I WANT YOU TO DIE!"

"YOU'RE GOING TO LET ONLY MAN WHO WOULD EVER LIKE YOU DIE?"

"LIAR."

"BITCH STOP IT."

"Fucking shut up."

They looked at the foreign voice that intervene with their argument.

"What?" Neji asked Temari.

By then everyone was around them as they were drawn by the loud angry screaming on the deck.

Temari opened her mouth to say something but she closed it back, before deciding to speak again, "I think Shikamaru should tell you guys this."

Shikamaru frowned, "I hate to break bad news but… our sailor..."

"Sailor?" Naruto asked, "what sailor?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "the perverse dorky one."

"Oh that one," Naruto nodded, "almost forgot about him."

"Yeah well," Shikamaru continued, "our sailor died."

Everyone gasped dramatically.

"No," Temari said, "he didn't."

Everyone sighed in unison.

"He committed suicide," she corrected, "and no one here knows how to operate a yacht and there are no instruction manuals to refer to, no labeled buttons, nothing."

"So that means we're screwed?" Neji asked.

Shikamaru nodded, "one way or another, yeah we are."

Simultaneously, Ino, Sakura and Hinata let out a loud cry, but they were quite difference.

Ino went: AHHHH I'M GOING TO DIE!

Sakura went: NOOOOOOOO CIVILISATION!

Hinata went: NOT NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE AGAIN!

Sasuke, Neji and Sai nodded and started exchanging money between them.

"In your face," Sasuke laughed at Sai, "I suspected it from the beginning."

"Hand over the cash Sai," Neji smirked, "it's a hundred bucks remember?"

Sai frowned and fished out two one hundred and hand one to each.

"You knew we were going to die?" Naruto asked Sasuke incredulously, "why? Why didn't you tell me?"

"No," Sasuke said, "I knew the guy was a fake."

Tenten made a face, "all the same, why didn't you tell us?"

"Because I could've been wrong," Sasuke said defensively.

Naruto dropped onto the floor of the deck, not believing his bad luck. How could this happen? Such things only happen in books and movies and bogus made up storylines. Not in real life. At least not to them.

Monkey see, monkey do. Very soon everyone was on the ground like Naruto, in a big circle facing each other.

"What do we do now?" Ino asked, her hyperventilation slowly fading away.

"We'll just have to wait for the yacht to stop somewhere," Shikamaru said, "there's no signal here, we have nothing to catch attention, no way of maneuvering the yacht by ourselves, so we'll have to wait till it stops on plain land."

Everyone nodded, agreeing that the idea was sensible and might actually work.

"What if it doesn't land on plain land?" Sasuke asked bursting everyone's happy bubble.

"We're fucked."

* * *

A/N: Done with chapter sixteen. 46 pages on Microsoft, my fingers are dead tired. Sorry for any typo, I don't want to reread it, too lazy.

Thanks for reading. Please review.


	17. Episode Seventeen: Last Sunset Part Two

A/N: I'm back and ready for some action! I made alot of weird mistakes in every chapter, but I doesn't affect the storyline, so just ignore it. I cannot write sad scenes. I decided to extend this chapter at the very last minute.

Oh and to make this seem long, I'm going to thank the following for reviewing my stories (cause many fanfiction writers do that):

**faithee/ makeoutparadiselover101/ Kieren/calla123/ Luvedbydarkness/ spicyfox/ Maaka-sama/ xxoCherri1469xxo/ Princess-Lazy-Chan/ gingystar555/ kakaankofan93/ Raela1396/gokovsvegeta/ Ayatsuri Sakkaku/ jocular monoceros/ Nekido1234/ WhoNeedsSanity/ Colonel Hatake/ vicious-fluffy-bunny-llama/ DarkHeartsUnleashed/ CattyGothLoli/ yuffielovesmateria/ riia luvs anime/ heyheyz/ *******/ missy4eva/ Master Doc/ Far away yet so near/ LadyRin98790/ ANIMEFANSTAR12 **and **KateofGoodHope** although you **NEVER** review. Haha. Thanks anyways.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter seventeen: Last Sunset Part 2

Part i

Time: Happening the same time as Naruto and gang set off on the yacht into the vast ocean…

She had been in the toilet for a few minutes and it's starting to scare him. He knocked on the wooden door again and called her name only to have the same answer as before.

"Yes Itachi," Yui said a little weakly, "I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine," he insisted, "I know you're vomiting," he paused, waiting for her to reply or make a sound, but there was none, "Yui?"

"I'm fine Itachi," she voice came out coarse and dreadful, "just leave me alone for awhile, will you?"

As much as he didn't want to, he didn't want her to get angry, it would only worsen her condition even more. He nodded to himself, and walked away from the toilet door and out the main door where he sat on the porch and leaned against the fencing. Quietly watching the setting sun from their beach house on one of the most serene beaches in Tuscany.

He took in a deep breath of the ocean and tasted the salt vapor carried in the wind. The day is coming to an end, and so is Yui's time on earth. It did hurt him inside, but it didn't hurt enough for him to cry. The only person that could make him cry, was his brother. But that was all in the past.

He shook his head. Maybe not.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he thought, "you are my brother I lost so long ago."

He sighed and jolted when he sensed a new presence around him, "Yui," he turned around to see her just by the door way, smiling at him.

"Remind me again not to eat seafood," she grinned taking a seat next to him, "I think I'm allergic."

He took in a breath of her smell, "yes you are allergic to it," he ran his fingers through her soft hair.

She clearly isn't allergic to anything and she knows it too.

"Itachi," she called, breaking him away from his depressing thoughts, "lets take a walk, down the beach, together."

He nodded, stood up and helped her weak body up. She kicked off her slippers and laid them neatly on the front porch, looked at it longingly before walking away.

She hooked her arm around his as they walked further and further away from the beach house. Itachi noticed that look in her eyes, trying to absorb every dimension of the house, every inch, every corner, everything. He didn't want to think of why she might be doing so.

"The sun is blending nicely with the ocean," Yui said softly, "don't you think so?"

He nodded, not wanting to say a word to her. It might come out as a tiny, weak squeak.

"Everything seems exceptionally beautiful today," she told him casually, "like they know I'm here."

"That sounds rather depressing," Itachi muttered, "a little forlorn."

Yui stopped and looked at Itachi, "you know my body isn't strong and when the doctor said that I might last a week, I knew from then on that I'd be lucky to last five days. Caroline, Fumiko and even Aki has made their early goodbyes, and Milla is probably up there, waiting for me to come. I made a lot of mistakes in my life and consuming steroids would be the biggest. When I took it, I knew that I was going to have to face some consequences in the long run, but I was desperate Itachi, the other schools have really good players. I'm just…. just, really sorry."

"You should be," Itachi said with a stern look on his face.

Yui jerked and leaned forward, clutching on to her stomach, "it hurts."

Itachi sighed and settled her on the sandy ground. Yui leaned against his chest, pulling his shirt like it was going to cease the pain, her breaths were loud and wheezy and sweat trickled down her forehead. Itachi didn't know what he should do. One part of him wanted her to keep holding on no matter how pain is was. The other wanted her to be relieved of the pain and die.

"You know," Yui laughed despite the agony, "you're a senseless jerk."

"I'm aware of that," Itachi said, "I watched my whole clan perish before my eyes and yet, I didn't shed a tear."

She stifled a laugh which subsided in seconds. They watched the sun dip into ocean and the slowly changing color of the sky.

"Hey Itachi," Yui said softly, "I just want to say thank you for everything and sorry."

He could sense it coming.

"I forgive you," he muttered.

She smiled, "I'm tired, let me rest for a while."

She closed her eyes and waited for it to come. The waves came up to her toes and her feet sunk into the damp sand. Yui could feel the salted air around her and hear the soft moaning of the ocean in front of her. The trees swayed as she felt Itachi caress her skin for one more time before the wind carried her soul away.

Her body felt lighter and very soulless.

"Sayonara, Yui"

* * *

"That was quick," Aki said as she entered the beach house.

They had just returned from the beach, where they were throwing Yui's ashes into the vast ocean where she would be transported to the four ends of the world.

"She always wanted to travel around," Caroline said, "and now she finally gets her wish."

They took a seat on the sofa of the huge living room and drank lavender tea from little English cups.

"Finally Milla has some company," Deidara murmured, "has Itachi told her sister about her death?"

Pein nodded, "she was quite so devastated. We'll have to catch the next flight back to Konoha tonight. Sasori you've booked the tickets haven't you?"

Sasori took a sip of the tea and nodded in response, "yes, but this is not a direct flight, we would have a two hour transition in Suna before catching another plane back to Konoha."

"But their just a tiny distance apart," Tobi said, "Tobi wonders why the plane can't just fly to Konoha!"

Konan agreed with him, "if that's the case wouldn't it be better to get back by ferry? It won't take long, Konoha and Suna is only separated by a stretch of water."

Itachi walked into the living room, "I think we'll just stick to Sasori's plan. I bet he's homesick too."

They were in a circle around the small table, sipping ever so elegantly on their cups of tea. The moment Itachi came in, it is as if he brought along a certain kind of tension with him. No one dare speak about anything, no one but Pein.

"I'm glad that you're not in any state of depression, considering the fact that Yui passed almost three hours ago," Pein said despite the silence, "I have to say, you're quite strong. You didn't even frown watching her body getting cremated in the bonfire."

Itachi looked at Pein with a very neutral face, "I've seen many people die before my eyes, I don't think it is possible for me to feel depressed anymore. I'm going to go about as if Yui never existed.

"This house would be converted into an orphanage," Itachi continued, "cause I would have no need for it anymore. At least some children would have a shelter. I think she would've wanted that."

Tobi was the only one clapping and make noise amidst the silence, "Tobi thinks Itachi is virtuous!"

The phone rang. Zetsu, being the closest and the only one capable of speaking Italian, picked up.

" Si?... Siamo tutti qui, si, siamo pronti. Non i bagagli molto. Si, si, adesso ? Vedo, vedo. Grazie. Grazie," Zetsu told the caller in a rather monotonous voice before putting down, "our ride is here."

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: Last Sunset Part 2

Part ii

They had given up worrying and gave in to fatigue. The freshmen had slept the whole time as the yacht aimlessly moved around the unfamiliar ocean.

If it weren't for the fucking bright sun, they would've continued with their slumber.

"I see the light!" Naruto yelled as he sat up from his sleeping position, "I see the light…"

He wiped his eyes and stood up lazily, almost falling on the lifeless bodies sprawled across the deck.

"Where the heck are we?" he looked down from the railing and squinted to see clearer, "is that… LAND? IT'S LAND! SALVATION!"

The others woke up to his loud cry and hurried over to where Naruto was before fully grasping what he meant. It was true, they were on land, technical the yacht was the one on land, but since they're on the yacht which is on the land, it is fair to say that they were on land.

Without thinking they started jumping off the yacht, without care for safety.

"Where are we?" Tenten asked no one in particular, "is this some rural part of Konoha?"

She kicked the sand and watched it fly a few centimeters before falling back to merge with the ground.

"I'm coming down," Ino souted, still on the deck, frantically looking around, "still coming down."

"Just jump damn it!" Temari screamed, "it's soft."

Ino put one leg over the railings and bit her lips dramatically, "ok, one, two, three!"

She closed her eyes and waited.

"You're not coming down," Shikamaru muttered.

Ino opened her eyes and realized she was still at the same position as before and sighed, "I'll go by the back, although it's less dramatic."

Hinata followed Ino.

"Is there a signage or something helpful?" Sakura asked walking towards a heavily forested area, "does anyone even live here."

If they look far out to their sides, they'd find that the sandy land stretches to as far as the eye could see. No one is in sight, nothing is in sight. Right in front of them seems to be a thick forest with towering trees with overgrown grass and many huge brushes.

"That sure looks inviting," Sasuke commented taking a step into the bushes, "these seem to be the only living things besides us."

Temari was trying to get some signal, unfortunately this island doesn't have any, "well this sucks," she said putting her iPhone away, "this is like an episode of _Lost_."

"I'd like to think of it as _Survivor_," Sakura said, "where everyone stays alive."

Hinata was on the ground, writing something in the sand with a branch, "at least we have some food supplies, to keep us alive, for the moment."

"No," Ino said, "I think we should get back onto the yacht and sail back."

"No one knows how to operate it," Sai reminded her.

"Think of some way," Ino insisted, "our lives are at stake."

This kind of made everyone scared. It was true, their lives are at stake. They have two options to survive: One, they venture into the forest mysteriously find civilization, get help and leave, or Two, they find some voodoo way to operate the yacht.

One wouldn't work if there is no civilization and Two wouldn't work if they wreak the yacht before getting it to operate properly.

Oh, I forgot, there is also Three: Die.

Temari started laughing amidst all the intensity. Everyone diverted they attention to her.

"I think death is getting to her," Naruto whispered to Hinata, the nearest person, "she's going insane, believe it."

"I heard that Naruto," she said suppressing her laughter, "it's just that this seems too anticlimactic to be intense."

"Are you expecting the yacht to be sinking into the sea in a near distance and the ground to be filled with carnivorous poison ivy?" Neji asked incredulously, "or some leprechaun jumping out of no where saying 'hi I'm Fattie McButterpants and I'm Irish!' then he'll sprinkle some magic dust on us and we turn into leprechauns!"

Sasuke was the first one to laugh and break the silence that followed Neji's _intimidating_ monologue.

"Seriously?" Sasuke asked, laughing like a chicken on fire, "_Fattie McButterpants_? Where the hell did you get that name from?"

"_Leprechauns_?" Ino said, "why Leprechauns?"

Sai leaned over and whispered into Ino's ear, "he had been secretly terrified of Leprechauns."

"What the f-"

"Maybe we can kill those damn birds when we start starving!" Naruto pointed to a huge bird flying over them, into the island.

"That's a hawk," Shikamaru said examining the flying animal, "yes, it's a messenger hawk. Do you know what that means?"

Naruto raised his hand and waved it around to catch Shikamaru's attention, "it's edible?"

"No," Shikamaru said, "it means-"

"We can sit on it and fly back to Konoha?" Naruto interrupted.

Sakura took Naruto by the collar, "I feel like killing you, shut the fuck up."

"It means there's civilization," Shikamaru said, "the hawks are sending a message to someone on the other side of the forest and that is where our civilization would be."

Sasuke nodded, "considering that they were flying pretty low I say it isn't too far off."

* * *

"Are you kidding?" Tsunade spat out her sake, "what did you just say?"

Shizune gulped, "nine out of sixteen are absent from Kenji's class," she handed Tsunade the list of absent students, "they say the five girls that are absent are very close. Do you know if these five girls are playing truant?"

"Then do you know that three of the boys are brothers?" Tsunade asked, "have you checked with Kiba and Lee about Naruto? They're his friends. I should call his parents," she sighed at the amount of work she had, "anymore absentees?"

Shizune flipped through the papers, "well 1A has no absentees, 1 B has one that is already accounted for and …"

"Shizune," Tsunade interrupted her, "is Shikamaru by any chance absent?"

Shizune looked puzzled but she checked anyways, "yes he is. How do you know Tsunade sama?"

* * *

It took them quite a few minutes to get past all the forestry and actually see civilization from afar.

"Isn't that Suna?" Sakura asked pointing at the tall tower with the word 'wind' written on it."

"I dare say it is," Sai said quietly, "lets get a move on, it'll be good to get some help soon."

The ten teenagers briskly walked towards the tower that stuck out like a sore thumb. And in no time, they were casually walking through the busy, desert warm streets of Suna.

"So this is how the equator feels," Naruto commented as he fanned himself with his hand, "rather hot. Thank god Konoha is above it."

"You've mastered geography," Sasuke smacked Naruto at the back, "good job!"

"Try to blend in guys," Shikamaru said, "Suna has very strict tourism laws. They hardly ever allow people to come here on vacation, but only for trading or meeting purposes. The airport here has very little business. Other than that, every visitor has to be approved by the Kazekage."

They stopped looking around and gasping so much. The teenagers withstand the heat and stopped fanning themselves as it brought a lot of attention to them. The people of Suna are supposed to be used to the heat.

"Then how is it that the gate watchers allow us to enter the city?" Sasuke discreetly asked Shikamaru.

Shikamaru glanced at Temari in front of them, "because Temari looks like she's from Suna. They think she's bringing us around."

* * *

They had touched down on Suna minutes ago and are currently in front of the counter asking for their passports.

"No unauthorized visitors allowed," the man in the counter said firmly.

Sasori walked to the man, "I'm from Suna, look at my passport."

The guy took the only green passport out of all the red ones, "yes you are," he handed Sasori a form, "they all have to sign on this authorization form before I allow them through."

They got in a line and one by one, signed along the dotted line printed on the form. It went smoothly and they were out in the blistering Suna sun in seconds.

"Let's walk around," Sasori said, "and try not to embarrass me."

"Heard that Akatsuki?" Tobi asked loudly, "he doesn't want you guys to embarrass him."

"I was actually talking to you," Sasori said taking the lead.

They walked down the crowded streets looking at the different things Suna has to offer. The people were mostly tanned due to the exposure to the sun and mysteriously tall.

"Hey those are people from the Suna Secret Police aka SSP," Sasori pointed to the men in green vests, "if they ask you anything pretend you don't speak their language, let me handle it."

They tried walking past the SSP without being called, unfortunately someone had a awfully familiar face.

"Hey," one of the SSP called, "you with the black hair, what's your name?"

Sasori immediately rushed to the guy, "sorry, they don't speak Japanese."

The SSP guy nudged his friend, "that guy looks awfully like Uchiha Itachi."

Itachi did a minute jerk upon hearing his name, "how do they know my name?" he said to himself before shooting Sasori a glare.

"Let me see you ID," the guy smirked, he knew this was the guy he has been looking for.

"He didn't bring it," Sasori said.

The SSP guy glared at Itachi and chuckled, "you _are_ Uchiha Itachi aren't you? You're coming with us."

He took Itachi by the arm and handcuffed him. He could've easily defeated these two guys, but he chose not to. He wanted to know why they knew his name and why they needed to arrest him.

"You guys go along," Itachi told them, "I'll be fine. You know me."

They could do nothing but leave, when Itachi says something, he means it and he'll never back out from his word. They rest of them followed Sasori back to the airport as some watched Itachi disappear in the other direction.

Pein isn't one who can be easily shaken off, "something is fucking wrong."

* * *

"Excuse me," one man donned in blue uniform came up to the group, "may I have a look at you authorization form?"

"What authorization form?" Naruto asked immediately before receiving glared from the others.

The man looked at little shocked, "perhaps an ID would do good."

They obeyed and took out their IDs for the man. He examined each and everyone of them with his browed sinking more and more as he looked at the next one.

"I knew my ID picture is horrible," Ino muttered, "look at him, he must be disgusted."

"You aren't residents," the man said keeping their IDs in his pocket, "and you ain't authorized visitors. I'm afraid I have to detain you kids in our headquarters until further investigation."

"As in go to prison?" Hinata asked.

The man thought for a while before agreeing with Hinata, "you can say that."

* * *

There was a knock on the door before someone walked in and stood behind him in attention.

"Sir," he saluted, "Uchiha Itachi has been spotted. We have him in the SSP headquarters. Do you want to speak to him, Sir?"

He spun his chair around to come face to face with the SSP cop, a broad smile on his face, "brilliant."

* * *

"These kids have been caught trespassing into Suna," the same man told another guy dresses differently, "I'll hand it over to you."

They were seated in a dull room on the third floor of the SSP headquarters. When they took the elevator, this floor was labeled: Juvinile Delinquents. The man had them seated on hard wooden chair in two neat rows, facing a worn brown table with minimum documents on it.

"Lets see what we have here," the new guy said, taking a seat on a cushioned chair behind the table, "trespassing… ummmm… Konoha eh? I thought the kids there were goodie goodie, apparently not."

He looked up and examined their faces, "pretty young kids here. From the same high school? Guess so," he stood up and circled them, "you all have gorgeous looking faces, especially this boy," he tapped Sasuke on the shoulder, "and oh, you look like you're from Suna."

He stopped in front of Temari, "is that why you came along? So the guards would let you guys in? I'll fire those bastards. What's you're name?"

"Temari."

His eyes widened upon hearing her name, "Temari? As in Sabaku No Temari?"

She looked at him with a dumb expression, "that's Gaara and Kankuro's surname. Your memory is failing you."

"You know Gaara sama and Kankuro sama?" the man asked thoroughly surprised.

"Sama?" Temari asked, "you make those two sound like-"

He briskly walked away from her and went out of the door shouting: I FOUND HER SIR! I FOUND HER!

There was no one in the room to watch over them, so they broke out of their awkward seating pose and looked at Temari with a questionable expression.

"Don't ask me," Temari said in a surrender position, "I have no idea."

* * *

"_The plane leaving for Konoha is leaving in five minutes, all passengers please boards now. Thank you._"

The girls were at the gates waving at the members of the Akatsuki.

"You sure you're not leaving?" Fumiko asked, "Itachi said he'll be fine."

"Apparently Pein doesn't trust him," Konan muttered, "you girls better be going five minutes are like five seconds to these people."

* * *

"Sir, sir," a panting SSP cop ran up to him, "Sabaku No Temari is in this building, on the third floor."

He was flabbergasted; he didn't need to lure them in, they came running in themselves, at the same time!

He nodded, showing minimal joy, "watch over them. I have important business to settle with."

"She has friends with her as well," the cop said, "do I allow them to go?"

"No," he said sternly, "we're going to use them. And nobody, I mean nobody can tell Miss Sabaku what is actually happening. Understand?"

He saluted before running off to the room where he left the kids.

"You," he pointed to a cop walking by, "inform Gaara about this."

They sat in the seats after returning from lunch. Kankuro rushed over to Gaara with a urgent look on his face.

"Shino told Kiba which told me that the Nara boy is absent too!" Kankuro said, "fucker, what has he done to Temari?"

Gaara felt his pocket vibrate, it was his phone.

"Hello?"

"Gaara sama," a familiar voice spoke, "this is an SSP cop reporting. Your sister is in our facilities. I think Baki is ready to carry out the _terms_. He wants you and your brother back as soon as possible."

He hung and looked at Kankuro, "get your things, Temari's in Suna."

* * *

The SSP cop entered smiling madly, "would you like Tea Temari? Or perhaps any fizzy drinks?"

She was a bit taken aback by his actions, "er… no thanks."

"I want some Pepsi!" Naruto said delightfully.

"No," the cop said firmly, "you can't have any."

"Why not?" Naruto frowned.

"Yeah," Neji asked, "why not? Why does Temari get special treatment?"

The guy smirked, he remembered specifically that Sir told him not to reveal the truth, "well, um… uhuh, basically it's just urgghhh… yeah, and this is like that and the sun rises from the east and this is really hummmff, and just plainly like that. That's why she gets special treatment. Understand? Well I'm off to run some errands."

He left before they could tell him that all he had told them was that the sun rises from the east and nothing else relevant.

"We just need someone to operate the yacht," Sakura said, "is that so against the fucking law?"

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: Last Sunset Part 2

Part iii

The door flew open and a man with half his face covered with a blue piece of cloth entered and took a seat opposite Itachi.

The image of this man took a few seconds to settle into his brain, the processed the image over and over again like there were different compartments in his brain purposefully for different things. He was wreaking through it to find a match, because somewhere in his lifetime, the had seen this man before and it is so obvious from this guy's expression that he has seen Itachi before too.

"Hello Uchiha Itachi," he grinned as the brought his hands together on the table in front of the two of them, "it's been a while."

"Baki?" he asked, that was the name that rose in his mind, "are you Baki?"

The man nodded, "I see you remembered me. When we met you were still quite young."

Itachi sighed, something burden in his heart just fell off, "and here I thought that I was in trouble."

Baki raised a brow, "your purpose here isn't to get punished, but to help us with something, it isn't much, but since your father signed you up for it, you have no choice but to help us."

When the words 'your father' came out from Baki's half visible mouth, Itachi scowled. He never liked talking about people he had killed, especially his father. Itachi utterly despised that guy, killing him was something he did not ever come to regret. That foul man knew no compassion, he lived merely to torture Itachi and Sasuke, to get them to achieve things he couldn't achieve and things that were… humanly impossible. He thought that his father's death would bring much ease to his mind. But even after being dead for so long, his father managed to crawl back into his life.

"What did he do this time?" Itachi asked with much bitterness in his tone, "I thought I completely erased him from my life."

Baki shook his head, "he signed a contract, Itachi. You see, before you father died, he has received news that a someone has been hired to permanently terminate the whole of the Uchiha clan, including the head. Being the head, your father is indeed worried about his livelihood and moreover, the clan's. So he offered to have an agreement with the Kazekage, which has unfortunately passed away, bless him."

Itachi didn't understand anything, "what agreement?"

"Patience Itachi," a smirked spread across his grim face, "you'll eventually know. The Kazekage only agreed to this seeing that there is going to be a war and he needed allies, especially from the Konoha."

* * *

"Where is she?" Kankuro ran to the front desk when the elevator doors opened, "that bitch downstairs wasn't specific enough."

The lady got up and greeted Kankuro and Gaara before escorting them into a heavily guarded room where the high schoolers were held in.

Kankuro took the door knob as soon as it is within reach, however, Gaara stopped him just before he could dramatically swing the door open.

"Kankuro," Gaara said calmly, "let me do the talking."

Kankuro hesitated but agreed to follow the one with more sanity.

Gaara took a deep breath before opening the door and finding himself in a room filled with teenagers from his class with the exception of one. They stared at him, being the new presence in the room and interrupting the idle chatter and complaints.

"I do not want to answer any questions," Gaara said, acknowledging many shocked faces, "I just want to talk to Temari, in private."

"In private?" Naruto echoed, "ohhhh!"

"What the fuck are you doing here Gaara?" Sasuke asked rudely.

Gaara ignored his attitude, "I should ask the same for you and the rest. Last time I check, I was the son of the late Kazekage."

"This whole thing is getting too weird for me to even be shocked," Neji said, "I surrender to all this madness."

"Can you let us out?" Shikamaru asked moodily, "I'm not liking the situation we're in. And what the hell do you want with Temari?"

"She's our sister," Kankuro came in front of him, "we have rights to talk to her."

Shikamaru crossed his arms and thought it through, "for once, I believe you guys, I mean, all facts support your statement."

"What?" Temari was shocked Shikamaru was helping them instead of her, "you know what? What the heck. I'm in such a mess now, more mess wouldn't make a difference."

She cooperatively left the room with Gaara and Kankuro only to be lead to another room with looks exactly like the previous room, exception it was just the three of them.

"Is this some sort of isolation room?" Temari asked, "am I the first one to be interrogated?"

Gaara shook his head and gestured for her to sit on the lone chair on the other side of the table facing the two of them.

"I told you that you are our sister," Gaara said, "and Shikamaru even backed that up- all evidence support our statement."

"So?" Temari asked, "why are you holding us here?"

"Actually we're only holding you," Kankuro said, "we want to release our friends, but our guardian thoughts seems to differ. So we'll keep them locked here for the mean time."

"This is ridiculous," Temari muttered, "can you just get to the point, why do you want to keep me here? Because I'm your sister?"

Kankuro laughed, "not only that, but there is something you need to do because you're my sister and he's my brother and you're his sister while I'm his brother."

Temari tried to understand what Kankuro meant, "so you're saying that you're keeping my here because I'm a girl?"

Kankuro snapped and nodded, "yes that's right. You're a girl!"

Gaara shook his head with disapproval and took over from there, "the thing is, our father signed a contract sometime ago and the terms were to be carried out a week from the signing. However, the war came before expected and the whole event was cancelled. It was then decided that the terms would to be carried out _after_ the war, when everything finally gained stability and peace is all around. However, it couldn't be carried out because you were missing, the ninja incharge of-"

"Protecting me in Konoha, got assassinated and nobody but that guy knew my whereabouts," Temari interrupted, "so nobody could find me and just before finding me the Kazekage, my so- called father, got assassinated. You told me that. But what I don't get is: why do you need me to carry out the contract? I mean, am I involved in it?"

Gaara nodded, "unfortunately, yes."

Kankuro leaned forward and held Temari's hands with a regrettable look in his eyes, "before we tell you what the contract is about, I want you to know that we had tried our best to undo it, reverse it, cancel it, but we can't. There is no other way to get you out of this contract, I'm sorry."

Temari hated what he was telling her, she hated the regretful- ness in it, she hated the sense of struggle and she hated the way their preparing her for something big- and bad.

"Just tell me," she was very sure it wouldn't be as bad as they made it seem.

* * *

"No," he said calmly, "I don't give a shit how important this is for your fucking village. I'm married, you can't get me married _twice_. If I'm not wrong it is illegal here and in Konoha."

"Unless it's authorized by the government," Baki told him, equally as calm, "here and in Konoha."

He thought of the way Yui would react if she knew about this. The same way as she did in the hospital when Kiba told her about the rumored engagement.

"So it's true," Itachi thought angrily, "that ventriloquist had a motive after all."

Itachi stood up, his hand holding on to the sides of the table, "in no fucking way am I going to marry the Kazekage's daughter, whoever she is, no matter how hot, or how not, I'm not fucking getting married again."

Baki leant back against his chair and smiled, "I knew you would react this way. It's always like that, but they end up losing anyways," he looked at his nails, trying to portray the evil guy look, "I heard that Yui's sister in just one boat ride away."

Something twitched inside of him.

"What does that mean?" he asked, simply ignoring his own logic.

"You know what I mean," Baki said, not looking at Itachi at all, "I don't think Yui wants to meet her sister soon, it would simply break her heart, but we think it might be good company, if you don't agree with us."

* * *

Hinata looked around.

Naruto noticed her sudden fascination for the dimension of the room, "what's wrong?"

"Did you hear that?" Hinata asked, "that sounded oddly like Temari screaming."

* * *

"Stop screaming!" Kankuro pushed Temari back down onto her seat, "stop it, man, you're even more annoying than Gaara when he doesn't get his daily does of chocolate chipped cookies."

"Shut up," Gaara glared at him, "you too Temari."

"Why am I believing this?" Temari asked, "how do I know that your not some fucker trying to screw my life? How do I know if I am really your sister?"

Gaara took out a few sheets of paper from the drawer under the table, "DNA tests confirms it. And this," he pushed a slip of paper towards her, "adoption forms signed by Mr. and Mrs. Ten for a girl called Temari."

"How do you know it's me?" Temari asked, in desperation, knowing clearly that it is her, "it could be another Temari."

Gaara shook his head, "you're the only Temari Mr. and Mrs. Ten adopted and your surname isn't mentioned here because when you were brought into Konoha, your surname has been erased to prevent anyone from identifying you as a Sabaku."

So this was it. Anastasia finally found her family. Whoopee. No wonder she left with Dimitri shortly after her reunion, her fucking grandma must've engaged her to some leprechaun prince through some contract.

"Fucking retards," Temari muttered, "I'm not going to marry some heir of the… what fucking clan was it again?"

"Uchiha clan," Gaara said.

"Yeah, I'm not going to marry some- wait," Temari paused and frowned even more, "don't tell me you just said Uchiha clan."

They kept quiet.

"You just said Uchiha clan?" Temari said in a I'm- asking- you- even- though- I- know- the- answer kind of way, "what? I'm I engaged to… _Sasuke_?" She said the name with utter disgust.

She imagined a troop of fangirls in military outfits and painted faces marching towards her with a canon and those fucking hell long guns with ice picks for ends.

"No," she said, "not Sasuke, not anyone. No one, I shall marry no one. I'd rather remain a virgin for my entire life than to marry _Sasuke_."

Kankuro cringed at her words, "you might want to rethink that."

Temari looked away stubbornly before frowning at her defeat, "fine, maybe I don't want to remain a virgin, but that doesn't mean I would marry Sasuke or any Uchiha in this universe."

There was a knock on the door seconds before a man entered.

"Sir," said another man, "here she is."

Gaara and Kankuro turned to look at the newcomer and apparently they knew who this mad looking guy is.

"Baki," Gaara said, "I'd rather we held this ourselves."

Baki shook his head, "I've already persuaded Itachi. This wouldn't take long. At the rate your going, we're going to have spend Christmas here."

"Itachi?" Temari asked, "wait, as in Uchiha _Itachi_? The Taekwondo captain? No way. He's popular."

Kankuro's face brightened up, "so you'll marry him after being such a sour cookie?"

Temari scowled, "not a chance."

Baki took a deep breath, he is getting tired of all this negotiating, he just wanted these teenagers to listen up and listen well and obey, "the thing is, your friends lives are at stake here if you don't follow the Kazwkage's Will."

"Will?" Temari asked, deciding to put her 'friends lives at stake' matter to later, "what Will? There is also a Will?"

"No," Gaara assured her, "the contract is in the Will, so he means the same thing."

"And what about 'friends lives at stake' what does that fucking mean?" Temari asked trying hard not to pull Baki's head off, "you mean you'll fucking kill them if I don't obey the fucking contract slash Will? Huh? Is that fucking it? Cause I ain't fucking believing it."

"Believe it," Kankuro insisted.

"Now you're just copying Naruto," Gaara and Temari said in unison.

Baki stifled a laugh despite the current situation, "yes, I will have to _fucking_ kill your friends if you don't obey the _fucking_ contract slash Will."

Temari couldn't believe it. She has struggled all the way till the end point. Like Baki has been directing a toothpick in her direction, constantly making her move backwards, unaware of the cliff behind her. And when he finally stops, she thinks she's safe, but apparently not- he's got her at the edge, with a fucking toothpick. Gosh.

"I don't think you'll dare do that," Temari said in final hopes he would just be joking around with her.

Baki started to laugh, as in the joking laugh, and Temari awkwardly started to laugh to, cause she read that a common ground creates a space for better understanding. So probably laughing along with Baki is sort of a common ground.

It would have gone pretty well and her friends might have been set free and she wouldn't need to marry Itachi, if Baki hadn't just stop his laughing and stare at her with a serious expression.

Not given this oh- you- have- to- marry- him- or- your- friends- suffer situation, Temari would've cracked up seeing the weirdness in the expression.

But given the situation, Temari learnt (from movies) that is wise and yet unwise to keep your mouth shut too.

Wise because it creates this pseudo intense feel which might, in turn, cause the evil guy to crack up again and ultimately leading to the bogus happy ending.

And unwise as the sudden silence could mean that the evil guy has been joking about joking- which means he wasn't joking about the whole oh- you- have- to- marry- him- or- your- friends- suffer situation.

Her math had never been supremely fabulous, but currently, the probability of her happy ending is one fifth.

"Oh I dare," Baki said, "it's written in the Will, I memorized it. It clearly states that 'Uchiha Itachi would have to be joined with Sabaku No Temari through marriage.' And nothing, Temari, I say, nothing can change that."

Temari kept silent and looked away, knowing neither Gaara nor Kankuro could help her. This is one of those times so rampantly used in films where the main character has to give up her freedom or something precious to her for the sake of her friends and family. These characters don't seem like they had a relatively tough time giving in to the antagonists, oh sure the character has sleepless nights, oh sure the character randomly goes into a screaming fit agonizing how mean the world is being to him. But ultimately, the character gives into the bad guy cause he knows that there is no other way to get out of this and that someone will most definitely come and save the day and get him out of the trouble.

Yeah, who will come and save her?

That's the difference between fantasy and reality- nothing is scripted, nothing is irreversible.

It was that moment Temari didn't mind being Anastasia at all.

* * *

Shizune burst into Tsunade's office for the ninth time today. Tsunade had gotten so used to it, so much so she didn't spit out her sake this time.

"What is it?" she asked, taking another casual sip of sake.

"Gaara and Kankuro are missing," Shizune said, "the teacher got so scared and sent the whole class to go look for the two of them, that's why we got the information a little too late."

Tsunade spat out the drink, "a little too late?" she repeated, "what do you mean by a little too late? They're the family in charge of Suna, you can't say ' a little too late' by hook or by crook, I need those boys to appear in front of me in half an hour."

"But Tsunade sama," Shizune pleaded, "they're not in the school compounds. We have ran security checks through out the whole school many times and we can't seem to get them anywhere."

Tsunade put her drink down and rubbed her temples slowly, taking deep breaths at the same time, "you ran a security check through out the school a _few_ times to search for _missing_ boys and I am not even aware about this?" she paused, "I'll ring the cops."

She reached for the phone which in a matter of second started to ring before she even pushed a button. Tsunade, a little annoyed as to who would interrupt her at such an important moment, picked up the buzzing phone and answered it with much contempt.

"Who is this?" she asked, her voice sounding relatively impatient.

"It's Baki," the caller said, "I have called to inform you that Gaara and Kankuro are currently in Suna and I apologies for their sudden disappearance during class, it must have caused an uproar."

Tsuande sighed, the problem solved itself, thank god he called before she called the cops, "yes it has," her voice sounded all too sincere, "good that they're safe."

"If there is nothing else," Baki said, "I would have to hang up due to important matters I need to attend to."

He hung up before she could even return a 'bye'. She sat on her chair and stared into utter space while Shizune stood behind her totally at lost to the situation.

"Tsunade sama?" she called, reminding Tsunade of her existence.

"Well he sounded unusually happy."

* * *

Baki walked out of his office with a satisfied grin on your face until he chanced upon Gaara and Kankuro.

"You made our sister very unhappy," Kankuro said.

"What are you going to do with our friends now?" Gaara asked, "let them go, she has already agreed to your part of the bargain. Now you have to carry out your promise. Let them go."

Baki smirked, "I know there is a genius in there and if I release that genius, who knows what he might think of to get Temari out of this?"

"Even so," Kankuro argued, "Nara would still think of a way to get out of that crappy room."

Baki stroked his chin like a real evil man, "true, true. It is a crappy room. Very well then, bars would do the trick."

He snapped an a few SSP cops came at once, "lock them in prison, I want 24 hour security and until the wedding is over, understand?"

The cops saluted and went off to carry out what their commander has issued them to do.

"I didn't mean it that way," Gaara muttered.

* * *

They sat there, idling in the room, fanning themselves, humming to unfamiliar tunes, trying to stay awake, trying to keep track of time. There is a light bulb hanging from the ceiling of that dull room, and it didn't help with much in brightening it. Mostly, light came from the small window on one side of the room. It wasn't made of glass, but bars, metal bars that resembled those of prison.

It all started with a boat trip and now, they're in a dimly lit room, with no wrongs and no faults, just a little understanding and a lot of not knowing.

"They're keeping something from us," Sasuke said, "we told them we wanted help with the yacht, they clearly understood us, but…"

"They're keeping us here with a motive," Shikamaru offered, "it's not about trespassing. It's about something, you see, Temari is suddenly being called out to talk to Gaara and Knakuro in private because they claim she's their sister."

"You mean you believe it?" Tenten asked, a little angered, "I thought you were joking. I thought you _liked_ her."

"Oh hohoho," Neji said, "don't defy the genius."

"Shut up moron," Sakura muttered, "you're giving me a headache."

"Headache?" Ino repeated, "you're just worried about your fucking record now! Oh! You're absent for one day with no valid reason!" she began to mimic Sakura in an overly dramatic way, "oh woe is me! Now no college is going to accept me! How am I going to carry on with life?" Ino frowned, "well if you haven't realized princess, it's not all about you."

"I didn't say it's all about me," Sakura argued.

"There was an implication."

"Its your fault we're stuck in this madness! You just had to follow your boyfriend."

"What the fuck is wrong with you? You were totally alright with the whole idea, you even got yourself a mighty fucker along the way whoppee!"

"Fucker?" Sasuke joined into the argument, "the only fucker here is the one outside!"

"Who?" Naruto asked.

Everyone ignored him.

"Sai," Sasuke pointed at him, "control your bitch."

Sai didn't budge from his position and he didn't smile either, "she's not a bitch Sasuke. You are."

"Well I'm not the one sitting there thinking about my damned tarot cards!" Sasuke glared at Neji, "or the lazily sitting there being all love sick because his girlfriend just found out who her brothers are!"

Before anyone could retaliate with another heated statement, the door flew open and a SSP cop came in with a few others that are dressed differently behind.

Everyone was silent, quietly anticipating the news. Good one? Bad one? They couldn't tell; this guy had such a neutral expression.

"We're relocating you kids," the cop said, "to some where that's… better."

Everyone doubted his words; they didn't believe it is over. Too soon and too simple. What Shikamaru said got them thinking: Was there something they didn't know?

Naruto was the only daft and enthusiastic one who jolted up from his seat at an instant, "I'm going."

As much as they dislike his imbecility, is lack of common sense and his naivety, Naruto has been an overly great friend and a laugh once in a while. They couldn't leave him alone. Talking him out of it would only be wasting their time. Besides, maybe the man is telling the truth, maybe he would just possibly get them to a beautiful rehab centre, possibly.

* * *

She was pacing up and down the room hoping ridiculously that an idea might sink into her head. Or something might just waltz into her life and tell her what to do.

They had given her a room in the Sabaku manor just around the corner from the Headquarters. It is a beautiful room, one of the people working for the Sabaku family told her that this room was hers and hers to keep. That the Kazekage had reserved for her from the time she went missing, he wanted her to have it once Gaara and Kankuro found her. There is that gigantic bed with nice satin sheets. A large window overlooking a lush garden. Everything is in white or a shade of it.

She sank into the satin sheets and hid her face under the soft pillows. This is too much for her.

"Is it by coincidence that this room has to look so much like…" she stopped, she needn't say anymore, the image just popped into her head.

Temari flipped around the bed, trying to get herself comfortable, or at least try to get herself to sleep. Sleep is a good thing which makes her forget about bad things. Sleeping is a therapy, so she wouldn't need to sympathize with him.

"Imagine how Shikamaru would feel when he hears about this," she said to herself.

She didn't want to imagine it, but somehow her mind has been sadistically curious and dying to know. The sane part of her just wanted to prepare for his reaction.

And then she felt so guilty, it wasn't her fault, she knew it, but she can't stand but feel guilty about it.

It was one of those times where you can't help but feel like everything is somewhat your responsibility and that you have to make everyone happy at the same time. It is hard.

Very hard.

* * *

They have been trying to reach Itachi but hasn't been answering their calls. It's either he is not with his phone or he is ignoring their calls.

"Tobi thinks something is wrong," Tobi said.

"We're going to the headquarters," Pein said, "to look for Itachi."

* * *

Baki was brisk walking, trying to get to the kids before they step out of the building to the prison, but he stopped when he sighted an unfamiliar face in the building.

He stopped by the guy, "may I ask, who are you?"

The man saluted, "sir, I'm newly recruited SSP cop Obito, sir."

"Newly recruited?" he thought, "my memory seems to be failing me."

He looked at the guy again. Obito looks decent, honest and completely competent.

"Ok then Obito," he said, "I want you to see to it that nine teenagers are personally escorted out of the building to the prison centre and that the wedding preparations are properly handled."

"Wedding preparations, sir?" Obito asked, "what wedding preparations, sir?"

Baki smacked his head, "oh yes, you're newly recruited. Oh well, when you get back from the first task, get Gengki to assist you."

He saluted, "ok sir."

Obito made his way to the elevator to the third floor.

"Baki said teenagers," Obito thought, "they must be here."

He went to the counter girl and asked for the teenagers, she said they were just on their way out of their holding room and would be coming shortly.

Obito nodded and leant against the wall before hearing much talking coming his way. He looked up to find the figures of nine oh too familiar teenagers before him.

"No it can't be," he said to himself, partially filled with shock.

He immediately brought his goggles over his eyes and watched the nine teenagers enter the opened elevator. It dawned on him that it was his responsibility to watch them until they left the building…

"To the prison centre," he thought and looked at the neutral expression, "they don't know where they're going yet."

Through the ride down, he tried to avoid all forms of eye contact with the teenagers, especially those who he thought intelligent.

When the doors open, he was the last one to exit the lift and quietly led them out of the building with other cops. Obito watched the nine of them enter a SSP vehicle before the vehicle drove off to the prison centre.

He frowned, just when things were about to be solved these kids had to come out and complicate the whole matter all over again.

"And wedding preparations?" he thought, "that's sudden. Baki can't be the one getting married. Women these days are blind, but not this blind."

His attention was soon captured by a group of slightly older teenagers making their way towards the build.

"A pack of teenagers come as another pack goes," he said under his breath, "and this thing can't get anymore confusing."

It was then he received another shock. Not because this pack also consisted on nine teenagers, but this pack consisted of teenagers he knew.

Obito couldn't help but stare at them, he's common sense is failing him.

The guy leading, the one with orange hair and a million piercing, he knew that guy, it was Pein.

Pein seem to know him too, for when he looked up and at Obito, there seem to be a moment where explanation is the only thing needed to cover the gap. Pein had seen through him.

Obito brought his finger to his lips, asking Pein to kept quiet about it, as he walked towards the pack of nine teenagers.

* * *

She had fallen asleep and had the most splendid dream ever. Temari dreamt that she was sleeping on a cloud, floating above earth. It is soft and cushiony, like how anyone with imagine it to be except better. It isn't edible like cotton candy and sure doesn't taste like one, but it is a marvel lying on the cloud. She would lie on the edge of the cloud and watch people on earth doing mad things and chasing mad dreams, but it inspired her. Then she would flip around the cloud and sleep in Shikamaru's embrace, where he will always be with her.

"I must've eaten too much cheese," she said upon waking up, "even my dreams get cheesy."

Temari felt like hugging something warm. She tried the bolster that stupidly laid next to her, it didn't work. She wanted something human, something breathing, something fresh. And even though she's been putting out conditions, as if anyone with these qualities can satisfy the hugging needs, she knew, deep down, she only wanted to hug one person.

"I've been taking things for granted," she muttered, "when I know I will have it, I forget it. When I know I am losing it, I want it so bad. Is this how everyone's mind works? Then I hate being human, humans have too many deficiencies.

"Maybe this is sort of a lesson," she told herself, "maybe this punishment for neglecting him, pushing him aside. Yeah, many girls want him, but when I get him, I… screw this, I don't even like him… then."

She got up from her bed, went to the huge window and drew it's curtains. The sky had dimed so much since she was last awake. It's already the evening and she doesn't even know what happened to those chaps. Have they gone back? Or are they worrying about her?

Someone entered the room and it kind of gave her a shock.

"Haven't you heard a knocking?" she asked Gaara.

"I knocked," Gaara said, "you haven't heard of listening- ironically."

She looked away, "what do you want?"

"I think it is best you marry him soon," Gaara said, "Baki isn't letting your friends out until you marry Itachi."

And all along she thought that they were out.

"Where are they now?" she asked.

"At the prison centre," Gaara said, "Baki is hoping you'll get married tomorrow afternoon so that there will be more vacancy in the prison and so he wouldn't need to care so much about the Will."

She wished she could smash the glass window in front of her and take a sharp piece of glass and dive it into Baki's head.

"He only cares about himself," she muttered, "ok then, tomorrow afternoon, but he has to promise he'll let them out."

Gaara nodded, "I'm sorry you have to do this. The Kazekage placed Baki next in command if any thing happens to him. You'll only be in command after you get married."

"The thing is," Temari said, "I don't want to get married, I don't want to be in command. Please Gaara, I never liked marriage and I never liked Itachi. Now that you're putting these two things together, I officially fucking screwed my life. Now you're telling me I have to run a village after I get married? That wasn't part of the deal."

Gaara sighed, "I'll see what I can do about it. But at the mean time, Baki wanted me to inform you that some dress makers would come and take measurements."

Temari didn't answer and continued to stare out of the window, pretending to be strong and unaffected- which she is not.

Gaara was about to leave before Temari stopped him.

"Gaara," she said, "thanks, for looking for me."

"You thought we didn't care about you anymore, did you?" Gaara asked, not intending for his question to be answered, "well, you're our sister, aren't you?"

* * *

After the secret meet with the Akatsuki, Obito went back to the office and searched for Gengki.

He wasn't to hard to find; his desk had a huge nametag on it and stickers of his name all over the walls of his cubicle.

"Gengki?" he called the man on the table.

Gengki looked up and examined Obito from head to toe, "Obito I suppose. You want to know about the wedding? But you disclose this to the public until _after_ the wedding; we don't want press all around the location tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" he repeated, deciding not to further question to arouse suspicion, "and whose wedding is it?"

"Why it is between the Uchiha Itachi and the Kazekage's daughter," Gengki said.

Obito didn't understand the 'Kazekage's daughter' part, "you mean you guys found her?"

"Yeah," Gengki nodded, "she came with her friends just today morning. Oh those kids you escorted out, they are her friends," he looked around before leaning in closer to Obito, "they say that Baki threatened her to marry Itachi or else her friends would be in danger."

"Wait," Obito stopped him, "are you saying that the Kazekage's daughter is-"

"Sabaku No Temari," Gengki said smiling, "they have to marry because of this contract and Will that the Kazekage left before he died."

Gengki went on for the next half and hour telling Obito all about the Will and the contract and the wedding.

When Gengki was about to start the wedding preparations with Obito, Obito said he needed to leave due to urgent matters he suddenly seemed to recall. Gengki seemed fine with it, besides, he mentioned somewhere about liking to work alone.

Obito went into the janitor's closet near the elevator and made a quick phone call.

"Pein," he said once Pein picked up, "you have to do exactly as I say…"

* * *

The guards had them spilt into three groups and placed into three different cells. Sasuke, Sai and Neji took the one on the left side of the corridor while Sakura, Ino and Tenten had theirs next to them. On the right side, just opposite Sasuke, Sai and Neji's cell, was Shikamaru, Naruto and Hinata.

Initially, they were upset about it. Some making a lot of noise and trouble, some just shooting daggers at Naruto. But it took them a while to get restless and tired, eventually coming into a complete silence.

"I'm starting to get tired," Hinata yawned, "it's so late already."

"Here," Naruto unzipped his jacket and handed it to Hinata, "use this, I don't really need it."

Hinata blushed as she took it from Naruto hands and stammered a 'thank you'.

"You must be scared," Naruto asked as he took a seat and leant against the hard wall next to her, "all of a sudden you're in this huge prison cell, when you did nothing wrong."

Hinata shook her head, "I'm more worried about Temari, she's alone out there, possibly in a far worse situation. I hope she's alright."

"She'll pull through," Naruto said, "the Temari I know holds grudges and doesn't give in too easily."

Hinata giggled and looked in Shikamaru's direction, "I think he's got it worse than any of us."

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"He actually likes her," Hinata said, "don't you know that?"

Naruto nodded, "yes, I forgot. Go to sleep Hinata," he said patting her head, "I don't think you should spend your time looking at some depressed guy."

"I'm not depressed Naruto," Shikamaru said, "I'm just… deep in thought."

* * *

The guard stopped him, "Baki said no visitors."

He looked up at the two of them, "I'm not a visitor, I don't even like the people locked in there, but hey, I have to tell them something."

"You can't," the other guard said, "Baki said-"

"I know what Baki said," he retorted angrily, "Temari's boyfriend is in there for crying out loud! Imagine, how would you feel if you found out that your girlfriend is getting married to someone else to save your life?"

The two guards looked at each other and nodded with an understanding look on their face.

"We know," one said, "we watch so many Korean dramas with those scenes… it makes us break into tears! We don't want to be the evil ones. You can go in, but make it quick."

"Yeah," the other added, "more guards are going to come soon. The security here is higher at night, so you better hurry."

He nodded and ran into through the corridor to look for their cells.

He stopped in front of cell three where he saw Sasuke, Sai and Neji sitting around inside.

"Kankuro!" Naruto called from his cell.

Kankuro spun around and saw Naruto and in the same cell Shikamaru, just the person he was looking for.

"Nara," Kankuro called that solemn looking man, "even though I hate you, I still have to tell you this."

Shikamaru stood up, "I have questions to ask."

"What I'm about to tell you might answer all those questions," Kankuro said most regrettably, "so listen, I think it's better to hear it from me than to find out about it yourself."

"You've prepared me for something awfully bad," Shikamaru said, "please say it isn't so."

Kankuro shook his head, "I'm going to sum it up in sixteen words- I've rehearsed this. Ok here goes: Because of a Will and to save your ass, Temari is going to get married tomorrow."

Shikamaru spaced out for a while before coming to his senses, "get married? What the fuck? What Will?"

"The Kazekage left a Will with a contract in it before he died," Kankuro explained, "the contract specifically states that 'Uchiha Itachi would have to be joined with Sabaku No Temari through marriage.' This contract was originally signed to create alliances and ties between the village, but the war came too soon for the contract to be carried out, adding the fact that Temari cannot be found after the war."

"I'm brain is numb," Shikamaru muttered, "I can't think."

"Of course."

* * *

A/N: This is the end of Chapter Seventeen. Rather bland, but I hoped you enjoyed it. Please review.

Next Chapter would be a little more exciting. Promise.


	18. Episode Eighteen: A Little Help

A/N: I wrote this chapter listening to Marie Digby's new song Avalanche, I love it. I looped it, so it played over and over again while I wrote.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

* * *

They had the dress delivered to her room in a blue box with intricate designs on it- I meant the box. Temari supposed the dress would be equally as beautiful at the box, but she was mistaken. It was as if it had been threw into a sty, for what it seemed to be is a work of art so extract you wouldn't comprehend it's 'beauty'.

"I must say," the maid who delivered the dress spoke, "that is simply… horrid."

Temari looked at the ugly mud color of the dress and the way the tailors strewn pieces of cloth here and there.

"To me, it looks like someone has plastered rotten cabbage over a nice dress," the maid said, "all men have bad taste."

Temari tossed the dress aside, plopped down on the nearest armchair and just sat there, looking out of the wide window, watching the gardeners in the garden happily doing their job, observing the people gracing the streets in the wee hours of the morning.

"Only Ino can do justice to that drab," Temari muttered, suddenly filled with an emotion only ignorant people have, "and I took her for granted too."

The maid waltz towards the solemn girl, "oh, we're only human."

She looked up at the woman, obviously years older than her, "are you british?"

Woman nodded, "why yes, my family owes the Sabaku's a debt and since they're too poor to repay I have to spend… quite sometime of my life working for them, until the debts are paid."

"Touching," Temari said looking back at the window, "do you think this is shatter proof glass? I wouldn't mind running through this and falling down, after all, the grass does look undeniably soft."

She laughed, "you must hate it here too. I'm Rin."

Temari nodded, "you know me. When I think of it, I wouldn't care less about the dress, the worst day of my life wouldn't be complete without an ugly dress. It isn't something I would want to remember in the long run anyway."

She preferred to remain quiet after that and just watch people go by their daily lives and stay cropped up in the room, waiting for the fucking wedding to come. She wanted to get over it and regret it when everything is irreversible, that way, no one would get hurt.

Rin seemed to understand her need for personal space as she, herself, stayed quiet.

"I'll iron this," Rin said taking the dress from the floor, "someone else would bring it to you, later."

* * *

"It's her."

"_Good Rin, we're waiting for you in the fourth floor of the building opposite the manor._"

"What about the dress?"

"YOU!"

Rin stopped on her tracks and turned around to find Baki walking briskly towards her, pointing to the dress.

"Where are you taking the dress?" he asked her.

"I'm going to iron it sir," Rin said in her sweetest voice, "it's dreadfully crumpled sir."

Baki nodded, "don't destroy it. Get the dress back to Temari's room before three, the wedding starts at five. No dress. No wedding. Get me?"

Rin curtsied, "yes sir, I'll be on my way sir."

She quickly left the scene, feeling Baki's eyes on her as she walked down the corridor with the dress in her hands.

"Heard that Obito?" she asked as she turned around the corner, finally getting Baki out of earshot.

"_No dress, no wedding._"

She snuck the dress out of the manor quite too easily and ran across the street to the building where she would find Obito and the rest of them.

Rin came up to the fourth floor and ran to the last room along the corridor. She confirmed it was the correct room before knocking the door.

"Password."

"You know it's me."

There was a defeated sigh, followed by the clicking of some locks and the door was opened. She stepped into the room filled with people, ten to be exact, eleven if you included her.

"Wedding starts at five," Rin said tossing the dress onto the nearest table, "words from the Sir himself. I don't think we should completely rely on the dress, they can get a back up dress anytime."

Obito nodded, "we're going to follow our plan, it's be more precise this time since Baki, himself, told us it starts at five."

Pein stood up from the bed, "so wait, we're going to wait until the wedding is about to start then we'll do all the saving simultaneously? But that's very risky."

"It's the only choice we have," Obito said, he laid out a self drawn map on the table and everyone gathered around it, "the wedding begins at five, as by common logic Baki would send more guards to the wedding around here," he circled an old building near the village square, "so most of the guards from here," he pointed to another location, "would be sent to guard the wedding, to make sure there isn't any discrepancies."

Pein nodded as Obito explained, "so there would be lesser people there. And… ok. We get it."

"We need to tell our little friends in jail about this," Obito said, "so they won't mess up. But I won't be able to get in without a prisoner with me."

Rin did a small I- got- it clap, "I know just the person."

* * *

"Well can I not not not not not not not not _not_ go out?" Naruto asked almost out of breath.

"Yes," the guard said, "you cannot go out."

Naruto stamped his feet, "man, how did you get it?"

Shikamaru groaned, "he's counting the number of 'not's you use. If it's odd, he says 'yes', if it's even, he says 'no'. And even if he fell for your trick, I doubt he'd let us out. Stop trying Naruto, it's futile."

"I don't see you trying," Sasuke muttered from the other side, "all you do is sit there and do what you call 'think'. Temari is getting married at…" he looked at the guard expecting an answer.

He shrugged.

"… some unpublicized time today and you're there acting all 'Really it doesn't bother me that much', when you're panicking and anxiety is overflowing you and you- for the first time- don't know what the hell you should do."

Shikamaru kept quiet. Sasuke was right, he is scared, he didn't want Temari getting married to someone else just to save their lives.

"What if they're lying?" he asked, "what if it's just a hoax?"

Neji came as close as he could to Shikamaru, but the bar didn't allow so, "what if they're not?"

"Shikamaru," Sakura said, "Temari is the kind of girl that dreams of her happy ending and her prince charming coming to save her from danger."

"What?" Shikamaru said as he ran his dirty hands down his forlorn face, "that wasn't what I observed."

"Shut up about observation," Ino intervened, she felt very much like pulling his head off, "every girls wants her prince charming to save her."

Hinata got up from her tiny corner and came towards Shikamaru, "in other words, you're the only hope she has. You're not like other princes, you have something they don't have, you have the brains."

* * *

Temari looked out the window and watched the sun that mysteriously got itself so high up in the sky. She thought about what Baki had said- about having the power to kill her friends.

"They could very well be killed by now," Temari pondered, "or tortured, or… fuck. What if I'm getting married for no reason, what if they're in Konoha right now, what if can just make my getaway now?"

Her thought were interrupted by a knock on the door. She turned around and recognized the familiar face she had seen earlier.

"Rin," she said, "I hoped you accidentally gotten rid of that dress."

Rin laughed, "Baki would kill me, literally. But really, I don't think it would matter that much since I'm going to do something else that might risk my life too."

She got up and walked towards the brown haired woman, "what are you going to do now?"

"I thought you might want to see you friends," Rin said handing her a black cloak.

Temari was honestly quite shocked, "can you read minds? How- I mean- Did-," she signed, "yes, I need to see if they're ok."

"I don't think being in prison can qualify as 'ok', Temari," she said calmly, "you have to put this on, my friend Obito will sneak you in, as a fugitive. You can't let anyone, not even your friends, see your face. Do you get me? Quick put this on."

She helped Temari get the black cloak on and covered her face with the black hood so no one would see or recognize her. Rin took a look at Temari before they head out.

"I'll bring you to Obito and listen to whatever he has to say," Rin told Temari before opening the door and pulling Temari out behind her.

They managed to sneak all the way to the kitchen in the manor without being spotted by anyone. That was where she met Obito. The first thing that struck her was his need to wear goggles on land, she had always thought they were for diving or flying, but not walking.

"Is he a pilot?" she asked Rin before they got close enough for Obito to hear, "or maybe a member of the navy?"

Rin grinned, "the goggles? He's a pilot, dearie."

Obito smiled at her when they met and took her by the arm and left without exchanging any words with Rin. It surprised her a little, she initially thought they were lovers from a secret society going against Baki.

They stopped before a vine covered wall in the backyard of the mansion.

"Don't tell me," Temari said as she stared at the vines that completely covered the walls, "there is some sort of secret passage way here."

Obito pushed a blanket of the vines aside to reveal a regular sized door, "smart girl, this door was build sometime during the war to help the Sabaku's escape when the enemies invade the manor. It wasn't used, so as time went on, the door was slowly forgotten."

They walked through the door and some enough she was faced with the busy street she watched from the window up in the room.

"This way," he said as he lead her through a series of twist and turns.

The street was so busy, nobody took notice of the oddly dressed girl and an SSP cop walking about. Some people did notice and tried their earnest best to catch a glimpse of her face, while others ignored her like she wasn't even there.

"We're reaching soon," Obito told her after minutes of brisk walking, "once we get there, you mustn't utter a word, you can't breath too loudly and you mustn't try to tell you friends who you are- they would start a huge commotion, especially Na-," he stopped, and corrected himself, "just don't make it too obvious for them. We'll have to make it quick, it's reaching twelve, we have two hours to do this and go back. Get it?"

Temari nodded, Obito told her not to speak.

They stopped in front of a building, supposedly the prison centre. Obito bent down and briefed her on a few things she needs to do in order to get pass undetected.

"You're name is Cecelia White, age sixteen, illegal immigrant," he told her as he did the final touch ups to her cloak, "don't say anything, understand? Don't cough, don't sneeze, don't-"

"You're stressing out," Temari said, "I know what to do."

Obito nodded and took her by the arm again, pulling her into the centre and only stopping when they reached the counter.

He filled up a few slips and forms before pulling her into an elevator and closing the door, not waiting for the guard who is trying to catch it.

Once they were inside and alone, Obito took a look around the elevator checking for any cameras installed in any corners- none. Suna has bad security.

The elevator continued all the way to their designated floor without making any stops. Before the door could opened, Obito told Temari one last thing.

"One more thing Cecelia," he said monotonously, "don't cry."

She smirked. Temari never cried, never.

Obito and Temari walk through a long dull hallway with nothing but mundane grey walls and peeling paint. They were headed for the huge vault- like door with multiple guards in front.

"Cecelia White," Obito told them in a voice so different from the one he used with her, this one was sterner and harder, "illegal immigrant."

One of the guards nodded, "we have a lot of those these days, buddy. Three cells full of teenagers breaking into Suna illegally, they're Konoha kids, who'd very expect _they_ break the law?"

"Well yes," Obito tried to force a smile, "who would expect?"

He was nervous, but tried very hard to keep his cool. Obito knew that time was running out, fast and Baki is going to end his meeting soon and check up on Temari. If he finds Temari missing, he would never let those kids go.

"I mean, come on," the other guard said, "what do you get from breaking into a country? We have more things to do, man! Can't they give us a break?"

"Yeah and this blond boy," the one with a bad cut said, "keeps trying to get us to let him out. Seriously. A lot of weird kids in there. A few very handsome looking boys and a few really cute girls. They're all making a lot of noise, arguing about this and that. It's annoying."

Obito shrugged, "teenagers, they're all noisy. Now can you let me pass-"

"No not all, there is this very depressed looking one. I heard his friends talking about some marriage thingy going on, and he has to save her… or something like that."

"No, no, remember Kankuro came to visit them yesterday? He said something about telling this guy that his girlfriend is getting married to save his life or something… those Korean drama stuff… so touching."

"Wait- they know that Temari is going to get married?" Obito asked, stupefied.

"Yeah, Kankuro totally told them. Why are you so concerned?"

"No…" Obito tried to hide his astonishment, "…isn't this getting more and more like a Korean drama?"

* * *

They had to walk pass a few ceils before reaching theirs. Temari looked at the other cells she passed by and felt guilt stricken. The room she had been staying is a gazillion times better than the one they're living in right now.

A few more steps and she heard the familiar cries of her friends, particularly Naruto's. Her heart felt a little better knowing that they still possess the energy to argue about.

"I suggest you walk with a limp," Obito murmured, "to slow things down and to make it less obvious."

She did as told and limped like how the actors and actresses did in the movies. Watching movies has benefited her in many ways possible.

"Well hurry up," she heard Tenten's voice, "you're a genius for crying out loud, something must have sunk into that brain of yours."

"I'm still thinking."

That was an awfully endearing voice, one she longed to hear for so long. She took him for granted.

"Thinking, thinking, thinking," Neji said, "that's the only thing you do."

He snapped (not with the fingers, mind you), "what if she doesn't want saving? What if she really wanted to marry Uchiha Itachi?"

"What if she does want saving?" Sasuke asked.

"Shut up with those 'what ifs', it's not easy," Shikamaru yelled back.

"Itachi wouldn't want to marry her anyways," Sasuke said calmly, "he loves someone else."

"Shhh…"

Everyone kept quite as they saw the guard walked by with a person in hand. He stopped in front of Shikamaru's cell and tossed him a bun.

"You look like you could use some of this," Obito muttered, "you look dead."

"Oh my god guys," Ino squealed, "isn't that Chanel No. 5? I totally sprayed some on you guys when we left!"

Obito stopped and took in a breath himself. Now that he was aware of it, Temari has a distinctive scent on her.

"It could very well be one of us," Sakura muttered.

"No," Hinata said, "the smell is stronger this time."

This sort of shook Shikamaru. His heart melodramatically skipped a beat and thoughts sped through is mind in the speed of light. He felt the soft spongy bun in his hand and it hit him instantly.

He took a quick look of the girl in the black cloak.

"Same height," he thought to himself, "it's quite so possible."

When Naruto and Hinata were pressing themselves against the bars, trying to communicate with their friends in the other cell, Shikamaru quickly tore open the bun and as he suspected, there was a note in it addressed to him.

He took a quick glance at the guard and the girl, they were walking at too slow a pace, that was good. Shikamaru unfolded the note and speed read it through- one of the quirks that came with being a genius.

_Prodigy Nara Shikamaru or Mr. Shikamaru or Shika (You told me you hate people calling you all this, a bit too picky and troublesome isn't it?), _

_Firstly, do not let anyone read or get hold of this letter._

_Secondly, I'm writing you this letter to tell you that Temari would not be marrying Uchiha Itachi and you guys would still be safe- if our plan succeeds, that is. _

_But for this plan to work, you'll have to keep your friends from breaking out, you're smart kids and I believe that sooner or later you'll out smart Suna's security- but I'm telling you __not__ to. Trust me. _

_Thirdly, you must be wondering about this plan of ours and who we are. I think you know who I am, but you still have yet to know the rest of my gang- The Akatsuki. You __have__ to trust them and listen to them. As for the plan, its best I do not tell you just yet, on this sheet of paper. _

_Fourthly, yes, your assumption is probably right. The girl in the black cloak with me, she's Temari- but do not under any circumstances tell anyone about Temari, about this plan, about anything on this sheet of paper. Even Temari doesn't know about this plan thing we have, it's best not to give her false hopes. _

_We'll meet again, soon, Prodigy Nara Shikamaru or Mr. Shikamaru or Shika or just plain Shikamaru. _

_-55-2-55-2-7777-44-444_

He went over to the bars and watched the two people from the back.

"Is she Temari?" Naruto asked out loud.

"No," Shikamaru said, "she isn't."

* * *

Temari smiled to herself, she was satisfied that her friends were safe and ok. No injuries, no death by starvation, nothing wrong with them. Great.

"You still can't lie, Shikamaru," she said to herself.

"Oh man," Naruto cried, "I really thought she was."

"Maybe Chanel is popular in Suna too," Tenten said.

"Maybe she's here for stealing Chanel No. 5," Ino concluded, "yes, everyone wants a Chanel."

"You want a Chanel?" Sai asked the other cell.

Ino smiled widely at her friends, knowing what this meant, "yes, of course I want a Chanel."

While everyone was starting to scold Ino for her lack of urgency, Shikamaru paced back deeper into his cell and looked at the folded noted.

"Who'd ever thought it'd be you."

* * *

She was standing out side the meeting room where they were discussing preparations for the very last minute wedding.

"This is all too surreal," she told herself as she pretended to mop the floor outside.

"Ok," she heard Baki's voice boom on this mike, "I guess we're a little a head of time. Remember to carry out your respective duties and Boshido, remember to send more guards over from the prison centre. If nothing else, you're all dismissed."

"Dismissed," Rin thought, and looked at her watch, half past one, "they weren't supposed to be done until two."

The doors flew open and all the SSP cops of different rankings emerged from the meeting room. She stepped aside so she won't be trampled on.

"Sir, Sir," one man called out for Baki, "Sir, are you busy right now, Sir?"

Baki looked at the time, "well, I have to check up on Temari, see if she's up to anything…"

"But this would only take ten minutes sir," he said, "it's of high urgency, I need several approvals from you first."

Baki nodded, "I guess I can spare ten."

Rin started to panic, "if he doesn't bring Temari back on time, Baki is bound to find out."

She walked further away from Baki and all the other SSP cops, made sure there was no one around before contacting her partner.

"Hey, the meeting is over."

"_What? We just got out of the building._"

"You have ten minutes."

"_This confirms it, we need a car. I'll make it back asap, just try to stall him._"

She looked back at Baki and the guy conversing. He handed Baki a stack of papers and pointed to something on the bottom. Baki made a face and flipped through the stack in awe.

"I think someone else is helping me stall, he's asking Baki to every page of this dictionary thing."

"_I'm coming._"

The guy ended taking twenty minutes of Baki's time. When Baki went to Temari's room, he found her sitting on the chair near the window drinking Dr Peppers.

"Baki," she said knowing that he had entered the room, "can I invite a few people to the wedding?"

"Who?" Baki asked, "your friends?"

"I know better than to make such a request," Temari said taking a gulp of the drink, "I just wanted to invite Obito his wife, Rin. Considering the fact that I have been mostly faced with people like you, they've been the nicest people and I want them there to see my misery."

Baki remembered the Obito guy, the new recruit, "I guess that wouldn't be too much to ask. Has the dress been ironed?"

"I hope not," Temari said without looking at the guy, "I'd rather hope that it'd be burn."

Baki tried to control his anger by taking deep breaths, people said it would work well, deep breaths, "I make my leave and make arrangements for Obito and family to be invited."

"One more thing Baki," Temari stopped him at the door, "is this glass shatterproof?"

"Yes," Baki said, "why do you ask?"

"I have had thoughts of suicide," Temari muttered, in the most scary way, "but you'll only kill my friends after that. So forget I asked."

Baki felt uneasy about leaving her in the room alone now. He should feel in command not _commanded_. It's like she's fooling around with him, he refuse to let her do so.

"She won't commit suicide," he told himself as he walked out.

Once he closed the door, Temari gently placed the Dr Peppers on the small circular table beside her, pulled her legs closer to her and wrapped her arms around them.

"How did I get into this mess?" she knocked her forehead against her knees that were so conveniently close.

After assuring to herself that her friend were fine and that Shikamaru doesn't really care about her anymore…

"He doesn't care about me," she muttered, "I'm a slut. He knows it now. Gosh. He knew it was me, why didn't he… stop me?" she scoffed at her absurdity, "stop me? What? Do you expect him to say 'oh Temari don't go marry him, don't do it'? Is that what you expect him to do?"

She paused and allowed her thoughts to wander, "well yes, basically that's what all princes do."

"Yeah," she scolded, "but you're forgetting that he's not a prince, Temari."

She nodded, "you're right, Dimitri was a servant boy."

"Shut up," she told herself, "he's not Dimitri either."

"Then what is he?"

"Shikamaru."

"_What_, Temari. Not who."

"Human being with excessive intelligence."

"Gosh, no wonder so many people hate you. You're afraid to accept the truth."

"Well, if they hate me, they hate you too."

"What? No way."

"Fuck I'm talking to myself, Temari. I'm you and you're me."

She growled quietly under her breath at her few seconds of pure stupidity. If this is what people call soul searching, then it's pretty fucked up. Or was it called 'finding your inner self'? Aw, fuck that.

"Temari, Temari, Temari, what are you going to do with your life?" she asked herself, rocking back and forth on her ass.

She recalled what Temari one said to Temari two during her 'soul searching', and she felt an inexpressible pang of guilt.

"Gosh I'm always guilty," she moaned, "and I'm not afraid to accept the truth. Damn it."

Temari sort of expected someone to say something along the lines of 'Perhaps you're being afraid of being afraid to accept the truth, troublesome' or something else, without that last word.

God she missed him.

"I need to talk to someone," she said to herself, "anyone but myself, someone to make me feel better."

This reminded her of a movie- Cast Away. Starring Tom Hanks, he got stranded on the island and to prevent himself from dying of boredom, he talks to this rugby ball. Maybe that's what she'll do, talk to something inanimate.

"Fuck, I'm losing my mind," she murmured, "that's childish, that's-" she stopped herself and immediately knew what was wrong with her life, "Temari, never lose you're childish innocence, it's the most important thing. Now go get a bolster, go get a marker and go get a little insanity."

Temari got up and marched towards her bed, pulled out the bolster and swiped a marker on the near by table, before trudging back to the chair by the window.

"Ok," she drew two dots for eyes and a wide smile on the bolster, "hello Kimiko, nice to meet you, I'm Temari."

* * *

"No sir," the maid reported to Baki, "it's no where in the manor, I'm afraid it's lost."

Baki nodded slowly, "I'm busy right now and there's… a little more than two hours till the wedding. There is a dress in the passed Kazekage's wife's room. Take it out of the closet and get Temari to wear it."

She curtsied before running off to the room.

"She stole the dress," Baki thought of that girl from earlier, "oh well, I always knew I have good taste."

* * *

The maid rushed up the stairs and upon reaching the right floor, made a dash through the corridor. Tall windows racing past her the image outside slowly became a quick blur and what came of was a pastel of grey and brown. Suna has became too dull.

Although the sound of her running footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, she seem to hear another distinctive fluttering noise behind her. She stopped and spun around as swift as she could- there was nothing. All she saw was a row of doors and a table that stood between two doors with a pot of flowers on it.

"Who's there?"

Nothing replied.

She decided to ignore it and cast it away, somewhere in her mind.

As soon as she turned away, the fluttering started again and this time the sound got more distant.

She almost fell when she faced her abrupt stop but turned in time to see something small and white disappear around the corner.

* * *

Something flew in through the tiny gap they left on the window. It glided through the air and landed on Konan's hand. She glanced at it and unfolded the paper crane.

"They not going to delay the wedding because of the dress," Konan said, "they're going to get Temari to wear her mom's dress."

Kakashi was a little shock all that information came from a piece of blank paper, "o…k, and does Baki suspect anything?"

Konan crushed the paper. Kakashi shook a little, thinking that he angered her.

She opened the crumpled paper and looked at it, smoothing some of the edged and running her palm through the sheet, "well, no. He thinks that Rin likes the dress, that's why she stole it, nothing else."

Kakashi nodded slowly, "and how can you tell all those just by looking at that blank paper?"

Konan frowned, "too many questions."

* * *

They had been talking for one and a half hours before someone interrupted them.

"What were you doing?" the maid asked, the same one who got her dress, "were you talking to a bolster? That's… pretty interesting."

Temari made a face and rolled her eyes.

"Fucking liar," she told Kimiko quietly, "anyone with half an eye can tell that she thinks I'm insane. Yeah maybe I am. Actually why wouldn't I be? I'm about to marry a strange guy in… jolly… one hour and I realize 'hey, apparently I'm doing this to save my fucking ass friends'. Oh, and that's not the best part, somehow or rather, I found out that I like some other guy. Haha… doesn't my life suck?"

"Ahem."

"What?" she snapped, "where's Rin?"

"Rin?" the woman asked, "I haven't heard of any Rin."

"Good," she's being all snappy and moody now, Temari felt like some pregnant woman that's not given her daily does of fried chicken wings, "she best keep her distance from someone like you."

Temari is the kind that never cries, instead, she gets extremely moody and everything she says would be injected with sarcasm. So in situation when someone would just break down and moan about their dreadful life, Temari just sits that and frown, shoot bitters words in your direction and snap every so often. When ever she does so, you'll know she's crying.

The woman had a scowl on her face, "are you alright, miss?"

"Fucking fantastic thank you," her mind was only filled with sarcastic acid, "I mean who would mind marrying some weird guy right? Yeah, especially since she bloody likes someone else already. So yeah, _fucking fantastic_."

"Anyway," she seemed further away, probably at the door, "Baki wants you to get that on. I'll be back in a few, please have that on."

She waited for the door to close before walking towards the dress that laid lifelessly on her bed. It's not the one Rin had brought in, this one is different, damn hell nicer.

"This looks familiar," she said, "doesn't it Kimiko?"

It felt like a heartbeat. Happening in the same time and had that same magnitude. Drumming in your ears…

_There was a white dress on the bed. She crawled over and rolled around it, feeling so small compared to the long pretty dress. _

"_Temari, daddy bought me that," a sickly pale woman told her softly. _

Flashbacks are like heartbeats.

Her left hand loosened it's grip on Kimiko. It landed on the ground soundlessly. She picked the dress up and felt around the light chiffon material.

"No way," she said, bringing the dress closer to her nose and taking in a deep breath of the old scent it had, "it would never fit me."

"It's your mom's of course it would fit," Kimiko's voice appeared in her head.

"I hope it doesn't."

* * *

"There's half an hour before the wedding starts," Tenten said, "it's impossible now."

"Imagine Temari in a wedding dress," Sakura said, "would it be a nice dress or an ugly dress? White or black?"

"Black?" Ino asked, "they use that for wedding? How dark."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "I don't know how things roll in Suna."

"Hey," Hinata interrupted with their moment of imagination, "are you seriously going to depend on Temari to bust us out?"

"I hate the fact that we're relying on a girl," Neji muttered.

"Sexist jerk," Tenten said.

"Haha," Neji fake laughed, "shut up, I can't believe that we're chatting away in prison."

"I can believe anything now," Sasuke said, "if someone were to say Naruto isn't a dick head, I'd believe him."

"That was mean Sasuke," Hinata said, "I hope Temari comes to her senses and rebel."

"Shikamaru will think of something," the very quiet Naruto suddenly burst in, "I trust he would, he's just pretending that he has no plan, but in actual fact, something is happening and we don't even know it. Believe it."

"I tell you what's happening," Ino's voice was a little louder and angrier, "Temari is going to marry and we're all going to live through our lives owing her."

Hinata went closer to Shikamaru who was sitting motionlessly at a corner, "is that true? That there's something happening as we speak?"

There was glint of hope in her eyes and he could feel the intensity of everyone's eyes on him, waiting for some good news to come out from his mouth. Probably something at would relief their worrying hearts.

"Logically, yes."

* * *

One more maid entered the room just to tell everyone that there was half an hour more before the wedding and they were to quicken their pace.

Half an hour ago when she had her privacy to don on the dress, she never knew she would be so rudely interrupted by an army of maids trudging in with all the weapons and machinery.

They took minutes to adjust the dress and retie the white satin ribbons on her shoulders.

Honestly, the dress seems like two pieces of long rectangular chiffon cloths sewn together at the sides and two ribbons attached to the corners on one side to hold the dress up and keep it from falling. The maids told her that it was an expensive dress, she thinks they are lying.

It took them fives minutes.

Twenty five minutes ago, Temari was nicely seated in front of a dressing table with make up, hair gel anything used for personal pampering, splayed across the table. The maids were 'kind' enough to help her with her hair and make up.

They combed her hair, curled her hair, straightened her hair, wash her hair, curl her hair again and then straightened it again, sprayed hair spray, and even more hair spray and got some hair gel in too and a tinge of wax.

They also did a fucking facial in five fucking minutes.

It took them ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes ago, Temari was bombarded with a new set of maids, this time, they specialized in make up. And boy, did she hate them the most.

They would apply layers and layers and layers and layers of foundation until she thought she'd look like a ghost. Drew her eyebrows with a pencil, stupid excuse for a needle. The worst had to be eyeliner, those fuckers were so closely drawn to her lids they could've sipped in if she hadn't hold still. She reminded herself of Edward Cullen, the way her eyeshadows were colored. Her eyes looked like they were falling into black quicksand. And when they were done with her eyes, she swore she could've died. She looked like a mutated cat with those fucking large eyes. What did they do with them? Replace them with tennis balls?

But there was still the lips, and she has to say, she wanted to kill those bitches for doing that to her. Red. Fucking red. Who the fuck wears red these days? Ok, Ino occasionally. But fuck. Red? It looks as if she dipped her lips into tomato sauce and refuse to wash it off.

Fuck. She looks terrible.

Destroying her face took them fifteen minutes- evil takes time.

Which brings her to her current state- prepared to die.

Temari is snappier than ever.

"Ok, I know I said this wouldn't be a day I would like to remember," she told any maid that was listening, "but that doesn't mean you can go make me look like some china doll."

Her overall appearance reminded her of Mulan, when she was about to meet the matchmakers, how they effectively made her into the first Chinese mime alive.

"I don't mind being stuck in an invisible box," she muttered, "perfectly fine with me."

Her mind processed an image of her sitting on a chair in an invisible box, chewing on an apple- Mulan had an apple with her. Temari imagined how explorers would chance upon her and bring her to the _Museum of Natural History_ and place her as an artifact there, labeled: Bride with Skin Pigmentation, chewing on apple- 20th century. And when the museum closes at night, some magical tablet would start to glow and everything would come to live! And Ben Stiller would come to her invisible box and knock onto it, fall and pass out. The monkey would then run over take the keys and release all the artifacts and let them roam free around the streets. And while everyone is on their way out they all pass her and ignore the fact that she can't fucking get out of the invisible box- well except for one person/ artifact/ historic figure. Yes, that's right, child genius of the 20th century- Nara Shikamaru. Yes, he would stop and instead of saving her like how he should, he points a finger and starts laughing heartily, thanking god that he didn't hook up with her when he was still a living thing.

She was getting too carried away with her imagination.

"Look on the bright side," she told herself, "at least I look like one of Ben 10's aliens… ghostfreak. He's cool, isn't he?"

She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked at the maid standing uncomfortably close to her.

"We'll have to go to the church now," she said, "it's four fourty five."

* * *

He looked at his watch and made a signal for everyone to keep their positions and get ready.

"At exactly four fifty five you're going to infiltrate the prison centre as we planned, Deidara, Sasori and Kisame, remain at ground level, the rest of you go up to the kids. There would be guards attacking you guys as you make your way there, Zetsu and Tobi, you're in charge of tackling these faggots. Kakuzu, you'll have to open the vault. The kids are separated into three cells, Kakuzu will get them out, Hidan and Kakuzu attack any on coming guards as Pein and Konan bring the kids out through the entrance you came in from. All this will take a maximum of six minutes. Part two will take off from there. Get it?"

_4:49_

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_4:53_

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_4:54_

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_4:55_

"Five more minutes," one of the guards on duty told his friend as they walked past their cells, "can they be that precise with time?"

"I'm always marveled by that," his friend said, "five more minutes before the next Kazekage would be married."

"Yeah, I heard she didn't want to do it. But Baki threatened her. Poor girl, does she know that once a she is married in Suna, she cannot divorce?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's the next Kazekage, Kazekage's can't divorce, remember what happened to the fouth Kazekage? Oh yes, you weren't born then. She had an affair and well she was…"

"Oi."

They turned towards the source of the voice. It came from this dark blue haired boy, leaning against the wall of his cell, eyes blaring red, glaring at them.

"Stop rubbing it in," he muttered, "it's scary enough."

One of the men walked towards him, "what do you mean boy? She's your girlfriend?"

Sasuke smirked, "my girlfriend?" he scoffed, "if she were, I wouldn't just sit there and wilt away, thinking five minutes is too short a time to save her. The extinction of dinosaurs took less than five minutes. Death takes less than five minutes. Hope can disappear in less than five minutes. Giving up can set in in less than five minutes. Why can't effort take less than five minutes?"

Shikamaru pounded his fist against the cold, hard wall.

The ground started shaking, the walls vibrated.

"Since when did you get so strong?" Naruto yelled, trying to keep his ground, "is this an earthquake?"

"Sakura what did you do?" Neji shouted.

"Nothing," she screamed, "Suna can't experience an earthquake, it's position doesn't allow so."

Shikamaru touched the lightly vibrating walls and walked around his cell until he got to the point where the vibration was the most vigorous. He looked out of his cell towards the vault that kept them locked in.

"Someone is trying to break in," he shouted, "they're coming."

"Who's coming?" the guard asked, "you knew about this?"

The shaking stopped. There was complete silence. Everyone in the vault looked through the bars, trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on.

In the silence, the loud clash of metal against metal is very apparent. It shocked everyone and some fell on it's impact.

"Metal against metal," Shikamaru thought, "magnetism."

He thought of the shiny silver the vault had. It is a hundred percentage pure iron.

"What are they doing?" he thought and it hit him almost too hard, "run, run away, quick, THEY'RE GOING TO BLOW IT OPEN!" he yelled at the two guards vulnerable to the explosion, "EVERYONE, TAKE COVER."

They were hesitant, but when all fact settled in, they started realizing that Shikamaru had a point. Both started taking small, slow steps backwards, away from the door, their legs only started progressing into a run when they heard rapid beeping from the other side.

"RUN," they screamed at each other as scraps of metal flew towards them with a burning inferno following near behind.

Unfortunately, they weren't fast enough, the sharp pieces of hot, burning iron shot through the air and through human flesh, slicing through blood and running through several blood vessels and organs.

The small explosion caused thick red orange smoke to roam the air around them.

And from the smoke emerged the figures of four people of similar height. The teenagers scrutinized those figures.

"Konan sen pai?" Sai called.

One of the figures emerged from the smoke and ran towards the nearest cell, it was Kakuzu.

"Hello Sasuke," he waved, "we haven't met for quite a while."

He brought his hand closer to the key hole and his hands slowly dispersed into tiny, long threads and ran into the hole, unlocking it.

He did the same for the other cells and released all of the teenagers.

All of them were people from their school.

"GET THEM!"

Pein turned to the guards running towards them through the thick smoke and smiled, "Hidan, Kakuzu."

They nodded and ran towards the men.

"Konan," Pein yelled, "lets go. Follow us."

The teenagers followed Pein and Konan out through another exit. Kakuzu and Hidan joined them shortly after finishing the last guard.

* * *

"_Sir, we're calling from the Prison Centre. We're under attack, we need reinforcements, immediately. The prisoners are escaping._"

"What?" Baki almost screamed, "ok, I'll dispatch six teams from here, they're coming."

"_But sir, that only leaves you with two teams._"

"We'll bring forth the wedding ceremony."

* * *

The usher brought them to the second row of chairs, "here are your seats. Temari sama specially asked for these seats."

"Isn't sir seating right in front of us?" Obito asked the usher.

He looked at the clip board in hand, and nodded, "yes, he is."

Rin grinned, "perfect."

The usher bowed and went off the usher more guests.

"_I think we might have a problem._"

"What is it Pein?" Obito whispered as softly as he could, "did you bring the kids out safely?"

"_Yes, but Shikamaru insist on going to the wedding with me and Konan."_

Obito looked at Rin who was listening to the exact same thing on her ear piece. She nodded.

"Ok Pein, let him come in, I'll get him at the entrance, but he's Takuya, Obito and Rin's son, get it?"

He heard the engine revving, they were in the car already.

"And hurry up Pein," Obito said, "they're starting very soon."

"_We're already outside. Come pick up your son._"

Obito stood up and ran towards the entrance where the last few guests were entering. A boy wearing his hoodie waved at him.

"Son," Obito beckoned for Shikamaru to come closer, "you're on time," he turned one of the ushers, "he's my son. Takuya."

The usher nodded and allowed Shikamaru to enter. Obito saw the red Ferrari 360 Spider along the road just outside the church with two teenagers inside. The woman wore sunglasses and a shawl around her head waved at him. Her partner at the driver's seat lowered his magazine revealing his great disguise.

Obito nodded at them and went into the church next to his son, Takuya- who obviously is Shikamaru.

They settle next to Rin just in time before the wedding starts.

Baki isn't at his seat yet.

"Lets make it dramatic," Obito whispered to Takuya, "you know _dramatic_ don't you?"

Takuya nodded, "Temari likes dramatic."

* * *

They made a run for the yacht, that was their only way out of Suna.

"But we don't even know how to operate a yacht," Sakura told them as ran through the village in black coat with red clouds on it.

"We have someone who would know," Zetsu said, "all we have to do now is to get you kids to the yacht and wait for them to return with our friends."

"Why do we have to wear these?" Sasuke asked Kakuzu.

Kakuzu looked at the coat and thought for a while, "it looks cool."

* * *

"That's Itachi," Obito pointed out, "and that's oh my fuck… what did they do to her?"

They turned their attention to the back of the church just like everyone one else. Baki stood up and cringed at the sight of her.

"She looks like evil Christina Aguilera," Obito muttered.

"The Back to Basics look of course," Rin added, "she'd be pretty without that horrible scowl on her face… have we entered a time machine?"

Takuya made a face and sat down, "she looks like she just jumped out of Moulin Rogue."

Rin sat down and looked at the traumatized guy, "yes, I'm also shocked that she can actually look moderately graceful… and pretty."

"Now she appeals to me as Wednesday Addams," Obito said, "maybe Rosalie Hail, the Twilight one."

"Yes Rosalie," Rin agreed, "she looks like Rosalie material. Beautiful and melancholy."

She thread by them with a stinging look in her eyes, ready to kill anyone. Her eyes were in their darkest shade of blue, so dark it looks black. Her hair maintains it's natural dirty blond glow but it looks soft, bouncy and wavy. Temari's white dress trailed behind her as she walk down the aisle.

"Father," Baki said once Temari was by Itachi's side, "we're running short of time, can we just proceed to the last part?"

He nodded, "does any one have any objection to the union of these two people?"

Obito looked at Rin and Takuya and nodded.

"Anyone?" the Father repeated, "well, if there isn't any-"

"_If_ there isn't any," Obito stood up with a revolver placed next to Baki's head, "we object."

Rin got up and out on the aisle, with her revolver out, "anyone objects to us objecting," she said to the guards which had their guns out, "I'll shoot."

"You stole the dress to stop the wedding," Baki recognized Rin, "guards, unarm."

The guards reluctantly dropped their guns on the floor as Rin went round to collect them in a bag she held on her hand, "open the door," she told the guards nearest the door.

"You're breaking the law," Baki told Obito, "this is the Will of the late Kazekage, that Uchiha Itachi and Sabaku No Temari be married. Anyone who defies the Kazekage's words will be dealt with."

"Well actually," Takuya stood up, "you're the one defying the Kazekage."

Temari looked up. She thought she might be dreaming or in one of her weird day dreams, but this is real. The familiar voice is really there. He is really there.

Takuya walked to the aisle, spinning a revolver on is finger, "you see, the Kazekage's exact words are: 'Uchiha Itachi would have to be joined with Sabaku No Temari through marriage.' So…"

"So…" Baki snickered, "you have no idea who you're dealing with boy."

"No, _you_ have no idea who _you're_ dealing with," Obito said, "he's a genius, and you? A man with no patience."

"You're defying the Kazekage's word, because right now, under your command, Temari _Ten_ is getting married to Uchiha Itachi," Takuya grinned, "there is no legal document that say Temari has official changed her name to Sabaku No Temari. So currently, foster or not, she's still the child of Mr. and Mrs. Ten, her name is Temari Ten."

In all the planning and organizing, Baki had let slipped away one of the most important piece of the puzzle. Her name.

"Son, get the kids," Rin said holding up a bag of guns she collected from the guards, "Obito, let that poor man go."

Takuya went up to them, "we have to go now."

Itachi smiled, "thanks."

Temari couldn't think of what to say, she totally spaced out. The only thing sensible to her current state of mind is to go over to Shikamaru and held him in her arms.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"Let's go," he took her hand and they made a dash for the door, "troublesome."

"Obito!" Rin screamed, "they're in the car."

Obito released Baki and started making a run for the door where Rin was, but he stopped and turned to face Baki.

"Just so you know," Obito said, "my name is not Obito, her name is not Rin and we have no son called Takuya."

Baki stood in the middle of the aisle angrily facing them, "then who are you?"

Rin pulled off her wig and so did Obito.

Baki thought they looked very very familiar.

"She's Mitarashi Anko and I'm Hatake Kakashi," he said, "we came here to find out about the Kazekage's missing daughter and we got more than we bargained for."

"You," Baki screamed, "you're the guys the KPD has been looking for."

"Really," Anko asked, "then Kakashi we better be on our way."

They ran out of the church, hopped into the red Ferrari 360 Spider that was conveniently parked outside and drove off to the yacht.

"Don't lose them," Baki commanded his SSP guards, "they're killers," he took his walkie talkie out, "this is Baki, your commander in charge, I repeat this is Baki your commander in charge…"

* * *

"_... Dispatch all available units, Konoha fugitives are on the loose, I repeat, Konoha fugitives are on the loose. They're in a red Ferrari, follow them, I repeat follow them._"

The cops in the SSP headquarters heard the announcement made over the PA system and immediately stopped whatever they were doing. Troops and troops of SSP cops ran out of the building in their vehicles around the village looking for the red Ferrari.

* * *

"Sir you shouldn't have dispatched all our units," one of the Senior SSP cops told him.

"Don't tell me what to do," Baki shouted, "that's our Kazekage we have to find, with them."

He saluted, "at once, sir."

He scoffed at the absurdity of the situation and sat down to rest for a while. But it wasn't long before someone else interrupted him.

"Sir," another cop said, "we've just contacted the KPD their on their way. We also got their location, it's at Suna's border."

Baki stood up and ran out of the church into a police cruiser, "get me there."

* * *

Her office phone rang while she was having a conversation with Kenji.

"Hello?" Tsunade answered the call, "what? You know their location? On the northeast border of Suna eh? Ok. Yes. Uchiha Itachi is with them? Yes, he's a student. Temari too? Ok. Thanks for the information, thank you."

She put down the phone only to find that Kenji had disappeared.

* * *

"Northeast border sir," Kenji told his boss, "he's there."

"Ok, I'll send all my speed boats there. Thank you, the cash transition has been carried out. Have you seen it?"

Kenji clicked a few icons on his computer screen and typed in a few numbers, "yes. Nice working with you. And-"

The boss hung up.

Kenji sighed and put his phone down too, "… and the police will be there… but you don't need to know that… do you?"

* * *

They ran through the forest until they came in view of a white yacht on the sandy shores.

"Oh my goodness!" Ino screamed as the ran up to Temari, "you're so beautiful."

The others were running behind Ino as they saw the unbelievably graceful looking Temari.

"Oh I beg to differ," her voice became high, "god, I love you guys. Thanks. I owe you all one."

"You owe them the most," Sakura pointed to Kakashi and Anko, "they planned all of this."

"You can thank me later, Temari," Kakashi said as he got on to the yacht, "but now we have to make our great escape."

"Not so fast Hatake Kakashi."

Everyone turned to the source of the voice- a familiar looking man surrounded by he fellow infidels pointing their guns at them.

"Unarm Anko," the man said.

Anko looked at Kakashi before dropping all the guns she collected and her revolver.

"You too Kakashi," the man pointed a gun at him.

Kakashi sighed and dropped it.

"How did you find me," Kakashi asked, "Kawasaki."

Kawasaki's eyes widened with amusement, "that's a big change Kakashi. You used to call me boss… but then again, you used to be one of my best agents."

"Agents?" Sasuke repeated and looked at Kakashi, "you're a secret agent?"

"Was a secret agent," Kakashi said, "I was working for an illegal organization out of my own will."

"They threatened to kill Kakashi's father," Anko added, "who was already dead."

"But I thought you're our sen sei?" Naruto asked, "now you're a secret agent? Cool."

Kawasaki chuckled, "you didn't tell me you have such amusing students, Kakashi. Sonny, he was only pretending to be your teacher, and he pretended damn well."

"Why were you pretending?" Pein asked.

Kakashi opened his mouth to explain but Kawasaki cut him off.

"I'll do the explaining Kakashi, I know it's embarrassing for you," Kawasaki grinned, "you see sonny boys… and girls, Kakashi sen sei works under cover for me to get your classmates DNA samples, you know Mitarashi Anko. We have a project to create the perfect human being and Anko has the brains for it, the physique for it, she the whole package- but we can improve."

"So you plan to take Anko's DNA and clone it?" Shikamaru asked, "what are you going to do with it?"

"Make money," Kawasaki said as a matter of factly, "what do you think?"

"Well I'm thinking that you're a heartless man that sent you son to prison because you stole the statue of David," Shikamaru paced around the boat, "a stupid man that tried to clone Anko and an even dumber one to tell us all your plans-"

"I'm telling you them because I intend to kill all of his right here, right now," Kawasaki had an annoyed tone in his voice.

Shikamaru nodded and walked down the yacht, "I wasn't done… and an even dumber man to tell us all your plans… when the authorities are listening."

Shikamaru swiftly pulled out his revolver from his jacket and pointed it towards Kawasaki's forehead, "tell your men to drop their weapons."

"You won't dare," Kawasaki muttered.

"Try me," Shikamaru stared into his eyes.

"DISARM!"

The SSP arrived on time and heard all Kawasaki's plans, Baki heard it too. And when he realized that Shikamaru wasn't going to be able to stop the man on his own, he decided that it was time he stepped in.

"I SAID DISARM!" Baki shouted as he and the SSP cops ran out from the trees and bushes to surround Kawasaki and his men, "come down from the yacht."

The men dropped their weapons and everyone on the yacht got down.

In a distance, they heard another group of men rushing towards them.

"The KPD and their ANBU," Baki muttered, "a tab late aren't they?"

"We're here to arrest Hatake Kakashi and Mitarashi Anko suspected for the murders of two high school girls," the head ANBU said.

Baki signal for his men to bring Kawasaki forth, "arrest him too for illegal activity and so that his son can get out."

Two ANBU cops escort Kawasaki and the KPD cops escort Kawasaki's men to the boat.

"Here they are sir," an ANBU took Kakashi and Anko out from the crowd, "the suspects."

"We didn't kill anyone," Kakashi said, "too taxing for us."

"You're a teacher there, she's a student there. The two of you don't socialize much with people other than each other and you ran as soon as we were looking for the criminal. Plus, all forms of killing stopped when you were in Suna," the head ANBU stopped and looked at the two of them, "what do you have to say in your defense."

"We didn't do it," Anko argued.

The captain nodded, "do you have proof?"

"Kakashi sen sei wouldn't do such a thing," Naruto said, "believe it."

"I don't believe it boy," the captain said, "any of you can account for their absence during the killings?"

Everyone started thinking about the time where each girl got killed and tried hard to find a reason to why Kakashi and Anko weren't the killers.

"I didn't see them any where during the dance," Ino murmured, "I only saw them after Milla sen pai got killed."

"You're a spy too," Sakura added.

"A spy?" the captain repeated.

"Against his own will," Baki said, "I don't think it's an offence."

The ANBU captain nodded, "so Kakashi, everything points to you. Anything else?"

"I bet you a million we're not the killers," Kakashi said.

"Ok, you seem confident," he paused, "but you won't have the money to pay me if you lost."

"I do," Shikamaru said, "and I don't think Kakashi sen sei will lose."

"We'll see about-" he was interrupted by another ANBU cop.

"You have a call sir," he said, "it's urgent."

The captain rolled his eyes, "yes? What? The killer killed someone else? Are you sure it's him? Ok, ok. Positive? Thank, I'll be back, bye."

Kakashi smirked, "I believe you owe us a million bucks."

* * *

_Breaking News, the police had found a corpse of a girl lying in an alley at six today. It is believed that her murderer is the one that killed Tamanaki Milla and Shiho, as she from the same high school and mutilated beyond recognition. More details would be given to you once the police have confirmed this girl's identity. This is Fujiko. _

* * *

A/N: I was watching the Addam's Family values while typing out the scene where Temari enters the church in her beautiful dress and her lovely face. And somehow, everything that is sweet, bright and cheery looked disgusting and revolting to me. Blame the Addam's Family- but I simply love them, especially Wednesday.

And the girl that has been killed? Try guessing.

Thanks and review.


	19. Episode Nineteen: The Missing Boy

A/N: Ok, **KittyluvsCats** reviewed and asked if I was Italian… haha, no, I'm not Italian. I used Google Translation to help me with my fic. Thanks for asking anyways. I send my love to ALL my reviewers, thank you for reviewing and keeping my spirits up, up and away, LOVE YA. All your sweet reviews makes me want to do more for you guys… But I can tell you this in **BOLD**:

**I have successfully created the second major arc of my fanfic! I'm still working round the idea, but I'll get there! **

I know my summary only states that ShikaTema, NaruHina, SasuSaku, SaiIno, NejiTen and KakaAnko are involved, but I have added another major pairing (for this arc) starting this chapter and it is… *drum rolls*… **SUIKA**! Ok, some of you would go like 'KARIN, FREAKING ASS KARIN?' BTW, I don't hate her. But you have to agree, SuiKa is way better than *ahem* SasuKa… and if SuiKa ever happens, SasuKa will NEVER happen! Haha!

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the last chapter. This chapter isn't great, but sure hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

"What's that?" the ANBU officer pointed to lines of blood on the ground under the victims hand.

His partner briefly glanced at it and shook his head, "blood stains I guess."

The ANBU officer wasn't quite sure if his partner was right, sure his partner is a senior officer, but those 'blood stains' don't look like they have been splashed across the floor. He crouch over the red marks in the floor and examined it.

"Senior," he waved for his partner to come over, "doesn't this look like a map?" he pointed to the network of systematic lines and some random acronyms, "H.S do you think that means High School?"

"I think so," he said as his eyes followed the line of blood that zig zagged the grey concrete flooring and abruptly stopped at a point with out any words, that point is circled, "where is this?"

"Well this," he pointed to an acronym that is closest to the circled point, "V.S I think it stands for video store. So what's next to the video store?"

The captain stood up, "who has a map? Quick, I need one!"

* * *

They decided to stay in Shikamaru's house for the night since it was the nearest and they were fucking tired.

Kakashi and Anko had to be brought to the police headquarters for further questioning and investigation, but they have assured the kids that Kakashi and Anko weren't going to be in trouble.

* * *

"Sakura," Ino whispered, "Sakura? Are you asleep?"

Sakura and Ino shared a room in the mansion, they weren't used to sleeping alone.

"Hummm…? What Ino?" Sakura mumbled.

"Well, I'm tired but I can't sleep," Ino said, "it's just that… today was so exciting and so dramatic, I almost wish I was in Temari's position."

Sakura scoffed and almost choked on her own air, "funny, I bet Temari wanted to be in your position," she paused and turned around her bed, "but you know what Ino?"

"What?" Ino asked.

Sakura smiled with her eyes closed, "we wouldn't have such an adventure if it weren't for you."

"Me?" she repeated.

Sakura nodded, "after all, you were the one who forced us to go on the yacht ride isn't it?"

Ino thought for a moment, staring up into the far white ceiling and glancing at the light refracted from the crystal chandelier hanging above their beds, "oh yes. I'm the one who brought you guy on an adventure."

"No wait," Sakura interrupted her, "I think it's the Dummies guide to Relationships…"

Their laugh injected the silence that initially engulfed the room. It bounced of the walls and ran into another room where the occupants are similar wide awake.

* * *

"I think Temari is happy," Tenten muttered.

"Why?" Hinata asked, "is it because she's the first daughter of the previous Kazekage?"

Tenten sat up from her bed and look at Hinata's small figure lying across the opposite bed, "no. I think because she found her real family."

"Oh no panda," Hinata murmured softly and walked over to sit next to Tenten, "it's not like that. You can't say that you're not family because you don't have the same blood flowing within you. There is no real family and fake family. A family is when everyone involved loves everyone else involved as much as they love themselves," she paused and examined Tenten's calmer face, "no matter what, Temari still thinks you're her sister."

Tenten grinned, "that sounds like an extract of a crappy book, but it's endearing," she shifted her position so that she is facing the window, "in a way, Temari is sort of a princess, don't you think?"

Hinata clapped in a 'oh yeah, that's right' way, "isn't that cool? We've been living with royalty! It's like a story! Gosh."

"A story, yeah, one that needs an author," Tenten said eyeing Hinata, "are you up for it. I'm entrusting my life story to you."

Hinata shook her head, "Sakura will do a better job. So much better than I would."

Tenten placed a hand in Hinata's shoulder, "she has her eyes set on a medical degree, she wants to become a plastic surgeon."

"Ino?" Hinata asked.

Tenten rolled her eyes, "enough said."

"Temari?"

"She's a more visual person, she would probably make a film based on the book," Tenten said, "and I can't even get a decent score for English, so don't even try."

Hinata sighed, "must a book really be written?"

Tenten thought about it before finally nodding confidently at Hinata, "I think you would be the perfect one to do it. You see the world in a different light cause you're an artist. Make this story our very own _Sisterhood of Traveling Pants_."

Hinata smiled at the thought of her favorite movie, their favorite movie. They watched it when they finished middle school and before they started High School. She remembered it was a simply marvelous tale of four girls and a pants they shared. She even recalled how they were each like one of the girl in the show. Sakura was Carmen, Tenten was Bridget, Temari was Tibby, Ino was Effie- Lena's sister and she was Lena. Now that she thought of it, Hinata realized that they had grown so much like the girls they were paired to. They had experienced so much together and met lots- I mean A LOT- of new people, boys, jerks, experienced high school drama and came face to face with death- is there anything else they have yet to experience? Loads. And what better way to remember this whole experience as High School Freshmen than to write it all down? Sakura isn't going to do it. Ino isn't going to do it. Temari isn't going to do it. Tenten isn't going to it. Who else was there other than her? Hyuga Hinata?

"Ok," she nodded and smiled, "I'll write it. I'll try a least."

"You'll thank me someday," Tenten said sliding under she blanket and tucking herself into the bed, "because I had opened another door for you."

* * *

"I called your home and nobody picked up," Kankuro said through the phone, "where are you?"

"Shikamaru's house," Temari told him as she sat up from the bed and leaned against the wooden bed post.

"NARA'S HOUSE?" Kankuro screamed, "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU IN NARA'S HOUSE?"

Temari sighed, "the girls are too lazy to drive all the way home, I think there is a law that state that you can't drive when you're tired. So Shikamaru's house is the nearest."

Kankuro was panting slowly and loudly, "ok, where is Nara?"

"Very far from me, Kankuro," Temari lied and gazed at the motionless figure next to her, "it would take him all day to crawl to where I am, so don't worry."

There was silence, she supposed Kankuro was passing the phone to Gaara cause he might have something to say to his newly found sister.

"Temari,"Gaara's voice was softer, "hi."

She smiled, "hi Gaara."

"Suna won't do well without a Kazekage," Gaara said, "we're staying in Suna to oversee a few matters, what about you?"

"I'm staying here Gaara," Temari said, "but I might come visit sometimes. As for the Kazekage thing, I personally think that it's best you be the Kazekage. You're my brother and you know more about Suna than I ever would. Kankuro isn't mature yet, I think you would do just fine."

"I-" Gaara stopped, "good night Temari. You have school tomorrow, sleep."

He hung up. She closed her phone and gently placed it on the bedside table.

"You were lying."

Temari jumped a little and looked at him, "you were awake."

"Well your ring tone was fucking loud," he muttered as he ran his fingers along her arm.

"Well you weren't suppose to snoop," Temari argued back, when she saw his nonchalant expression, "fine you don't want me to lie, I'll just go then, go so far away it will take you a day to crawl to where I am."

She got up from the bed and started heading for the door, intending to be stopped. But not a word came out from him when she reached the door.

Then it occurred to her that this might be an incident where she is taking him for granted. And boy, did she hate to admit it, but the stupid experience has made her into a freak of appreciation.

She spun around, evidently pissed, "you have too much pride."

"Pride is troublesome," he muttered, "you're troublesome- goes well together."

Temari rolled her eyes and stomped back to the bed. She laid on the bed, under the thick sheets and turned her back to Shikamaru. He scoffed at her child like tantrum.

"Now you're angry," Shikamaru said.

"No I'm not," she muttered.

"That wasn't a question," he laughed, "that's a statement, I know you're angry."

She shifted back and came face to face with him, "I am not angry. I've just became so weak after-" she stopped abruptly, there wasn't any word she could use in that part of the sentence.

"After?" he smirked, "after what? Say it."

She bore her teeth at him and frowned, "oh don't play dumb. You know what I mean, so shut up and sleep."

"Normally, I would take up that offer," he told her, "but that seems quite so impossible today," he paused and looked at her, "Temari, Temari, you have to learnt to control you troublesome little feelings."

"What?" she used her index finger and poked his nose, "you're the one who confessed."

"Troublesome. You would've have became weak if it weren't for… _reciprocation_," he smirked.

She wanted to retort with a clever remark, but she couldn't. He is right, reciprocation was involved. Damn it. She hate geniuses more than ever. Temari has to admit, she has grown to like him back. And she _had_ to make it so fucking obvious.

"Sabaku No Temari the Kazekage's daughter is speechless," he muttered, smiling, "classic."

A mad, crazy, psychotic, impossible, freakish idea just hit her and she didn't even know why it's popped up in the first place.

"Oh," she muttered, "fuck this."

Temari leaned forward and took Shikamaru with a kiss on the lips. He was pretty much shocked with her sudden actions and even more shocked that she kissed him, but no matter how flabbergasted he was, he couldn't help be seize the moment. I mean, he is kissing the Kazekage's daughter- hello, royal blood here- and she's pretty, really pretty and he likes her- not in a friendly manner. He figured that this is exactly the kind of situation any guy would want to be in.

Shikamaru pulled his armed around her and pulled her closer, seeing the uncomfortable position they were in and seeing that it might sort of benefit him in his horny ways- not that he wants to ruin her right here, right now. He felt his arm being brushed by her soft hair and his hands running over her smooth skin. His hands traveled along her waist line as he felt the fabric of her purple tank top rolled up higher and higher. His fingers traced the skin along her spine and…

"Ok," she pulled away abruptly, "that's enough."

Temari adjusted her tank top and shifted away from Shikamaru, trying to get her good night sleep.

"What?" Shikamaru protested, then he just let it go, "troublesome."

* * *

The noise in the subway was giving her a headache, it's annoying how people can be so fucking energetic in the morning. They all can just yak and yak away on their cell phones, blabber nonsense to their friends and among all things annoying was cry. Yes, just like the stupid baby next to her, sitting in her stroller crying like the world is coming to an end.

"Fuck," she muttered under her breath, "it's just the train coming."

The place she stood in had very few people, yeah, she's one of the few who bother walking to the front of the station to wait for the train. Hey, the front of the train is always empty and it's a long ride. Karin paced around her spot; she had been trying to seem occupied and not one bit lonely. Her stupid friends had to come down with flu today. Why can't it be on a weekend or something? When there is no school?

She was reading all the freak missing people notices and advertisement they have on the walls of the station when she noticed a boy, one or two years her senior, standing next to her. He wasn't looking at her, rather his eyes were fixated on the blue ocean the station overlooked. She noticed how his eyes are in a deep shade of purple and how his hair is strikingly whitish blue. The boy was wearing a purple sleeveless shirt which had the same shade as his eyes and a white colored Bermudas. The sleeveless top showed of his moderately masculine arms and his clear fair skin.

She jolted when she felt his gaze on her.

"What are you looking at?" he asked.

He spoke too quickly and too swiftly, even though she heard every word, she couldn't see his mouth move.

"What are _you_ looking at?" she retorted like how she would to any weird teenager.

Karin felt his eyes scan through her whole body and examine every inch of her. It was creepy in a way.

"Your breasts," he grinned, "they draw more attention than any part of your body."

She blushed furiously and bit her lips, "what?"

"I said-" he shifted closer to her.

She backed away, "I know what you said. But you said it too explicitly. God. Stop looking at them."

She wrapped her jacket around her body to cover up. He finally decided to look at her face and that fiery red hair of hers.

"I take back what I said," he said with eyes glued to her hair, "your hair commands more attention."

She rolled her eyes, he was better off silent, "who are you and what do you want with me?"

He leaned against the poster covered wall and smirked, showing of his set of razor sharp teeth. She tried not to seem too surprised by them, but she couldn't help but let out a small gasp. I mean, since when were shark teeth all the rage?

He ignored her reaction, some how he gotten used to it already, people going 'gosh you have sharp teeth', 'fuck, that's one hell freak of a teeth' and blah blah blah.

"You're demanding for a girl," he said, "asking so many questions at once."

She composed herself, "I only asked two. Two questions you better answer."

"I _better_ answer?" he pretended to be afraid, "oh no, what are you going to do to my poor soul? Well then, my name is Hozuki Suigetsu and what do I want? I want to find a girl, and you're going to help me."

"Suigetsu… Hozuki," she repeated.

Somehow or rather the name sounded oddly familiar. She heard it before, maybe seen it before, but she doesn't know where or when. Karin could imagine his name written across a paper in the Times New Roman font. But where had she seen it.

"Who says I would help you find this girl?" Karin asked, "I don't even know you."

"Really? You don't watch the News then," Suigetsu quickly pulled on his hoodie, "well, you have to help me find her. You're from the same school I presume and most likely the same level, so you must know her. They told me she's pretty and quite the attention seeker so it would be easy to spot her," he walked closer to the edge of the platform and turned to face her, "and when you do find her, I'll be there."

The train whizzed by and halted abruptly before them. The doors opened slowly and cool air swept upon them. Karin stood there, trying to understand his demands and his instructions. Not that she wanted to help him, but she needed to know who this pretty attention seeker was.

"What's her name?" she asked as Suigetsu stepped into the train.

He face her and grinned, she finally accept the job.

The beeping of the doors could be heard, it was going to close any moment.

"Karin," he said loud enough for her to hear, "I'm looking for a girl called Karin."

Karin couldn't understand anything now. Everything she had tried to comprehend ever since he started talking to her came crumbling down. Why would he need to look for her? And _attention seeking_? Nothing like her.

"Is this a joke?" she asked only to find that the doors had closed between the two of them.

And she realized something else.

She was supposed to board this train.

"Hey, Suigetsu," she screamed, "you bastard, you idiot, you…"

The train went off.

"…were looking for me."

* * *

Thank god she wasn't late or anything, just later than usual. She ran into the school all panting and sweaty like she had just ran away from some serial killer- highly possible these days.

Karin wasn't the kind of popular girl that everyone would drop whatever their doing and look at her, no, she hope to some day be like that, and that some day seems so far away. Today, she entered the school gates she noticed a huge crowd gathered around the main entrance, mainly dressed in black if not, all dull colors.

They seem to be waiting for someone or something to happen.

Well they obviously weren't looking for her, that's for sure.

Then a car drove into the school and well well well, what do you know? The four brothers just graced out of a single car. How odd. Usually, they'd drive their own car to school. Whoa, all of a sudden everyone is concerned about the environment.

The people in black, if not dull colors got up on their feet and ran over to the parking car, grabbing shots of every angle they could get- of the bloody car.

Yeah, the press is really pathetic here. They just take pictures of virtually anything they can take of the topic. Oh Uchiha Sasuke's disposed tissue! Gosh Nara Shikamaru's old textbook! Damn, Pein's footprint! Oh puh lease.

"Mr. Uchiha we heard that you were there when the Kazekage's missing daughter was found," one of the reporter screamed at Sasuke, "what do you have to say about the revelation?"

Sasuke walked away from the press with his brothers, "I was on the island, not on the scene, ask the man himself, the one who actually witnessed the whole thing."

"Mr." a female reporter called Sai, "is it true that your boat got them there to Suna?"

Sai halted and smiled at the reporter, "yes, it was my boat who brought us there. Any more senseless questions people?"

One reporter in grey raised his hand, "when is Miss Sabaku coming to school?"

Neji nodded, "I believe she made her way in while you guys were pestering us. Too bad. Accept you fate."

The school bell rung and the four boys entered the school, leaving the reporters and the camera men out cold. They weren't allowed to enter the school compounds, or at least the building.

Karin shook her head and entered the school, thoroughly disappointed that she wasn't getting any fame.

* * *

Karin sat through class thinking about her future, about what she might do if she wasn't going to make it big.

"Maybe a surgeon?" she pondered, "nah. Manga artist? No way."

She thought of he dullest jobs and the funniest jobs and when she mind probably processed every single job in the world, her teacher pulled her back down to earth.

"Karin," she smacked her wooden ruler against the black board making a loud whacking sound.

Somehow or rather, that sound occurred more sexual than intimidating to her.

"What is that quadratic formula?" she asked Karin.

Karin stared blackly at the black board, "er…"

Nothing popped up in her mind, she had no fucking clue what a quadratic formula was.

"One thing is for sure," Karin told herself angrily, "I am not going to be a mathematician."

* * *

When lunch time came, Karin found trouble looking for somewhere to sit and eat, her friends were both sick, how can she be seen eating alone?

Karin turned around the corner towards the cafeteria, she almost knocked into Temari- the new 'it' girl. Before today, or yesterday, she was totally invisible, no one bothered about her (with the exception of certain occasions), but now everyone wanted to be her friend, every boy wanted to go out with her, every girl wanted to hangout with her. And poor Temari wish to sink into the ground and disappear.

"This wasn't what I had expected," she muttered under her breath, "these people have to leave me alone."

Whoa, Temari didn't want what she wanted.

"I hope Ino is being trampled on," Karin smirked.

"Oh believe me," Temari said, "she is so safe. Sai's all over it."

Karin made a face, "that sounds oddly erotic," she paused, "I'm guessing you're running to that Shikamaru guy for protection too?"

Temari scoffed, "girl, I don't need a man… unlike you."

And she had thought Temari was one of those nicer blue bloods.

* * *

"_Attention all students, to celebrate the finding of the Kazekage's daughter, I would like to make today a half day. Thank you._"

A cheer when through the whole school, everyone was happy. Come on, who likes school?

All the more to love Temari.

* * *

Karin solemnly walked out of the school gates later that day. Today had been awfully bad and disastrous. And believe me, it was about to get worse.

There, leaning against the oak tree outside the school gate was a familiar young handsome face she saw today morning. It was that Suigetsu guy. She recognize him by his whitish hair, other than that, he was all covered up, like he didn't want anyone to look at him.

She had conveniently forgotten about him all day long, one thought lead to another and soon enough, he was off her mind.

He grinned when he saw her and pushed himself off the leaning position.

What exactly did he want with Karin? AKA, her.

"So," he asked when she was near enough, "found her?"

"Who?" she pretended, "Karin?"

He knitted his eyebrows and pushed down his sunglasses, "hmm? You haven't been looking?"

"Don't need to," Karin said as she started to walked away, "I know her."

Suigetsu clapped, "great, where is she?"

She stopped and spun around on her heels to face him, "first things first, why do you need to see her?"

"Well," Suigetsu shrugged, as he scratched his head, "she doesn't talk about this much, but I'm her ex. As in ex boyfriend and I really want to see her again, because somehow or rather…" he looked away dramatically, "I realized that I _love_ her. My heart can't go a day without thinking about her, wanting her to touch her and needing to hear her beautiful voice whisper her words of affection to me," he held her hands and looked into her eyes with an affectionate look, "please, relief me of my sorrow, I need to see _my_ dear Karin now."

She was totally unmoved by the whole monologue. The thing is, this idiot has no clue that she is Karin and that she doesn't know who the hell he is.

"So you're telling me that she knows you?" Karin asked, trying her hardest not to laugh.

He nodded, "she loved me oh so dearly once."

Karin scoffed, "she doesn't have such low standards."

Suigetsu got up on his feet and folded his arms, "sorry? Was that an insult?"

Karin folded her arms too, "I believe so."

He took one step closer to her and bent down so that she were of equal eye level, "I'll have you know a lot woman find me very attractive and irresistible-"

"Including Karin?" she asked.

He nodded too confidently, "duh. Please, she's my girlfriend. Is there something wrong with your brain?"

Karin nodded, seemingly agreeing with him, "perhaps, cause I don't recall having you as _my_ boyfriend."

"I-" he stopped when he realized what she had just said, he thought it through and shook his head, "sorry, but I didn't catch your name."

"Remember it hard and remember it well Hozuki Suigetsu," she pointed an accusing finger at him, "it's Karin. Sounds familiar?"

"Well," he cringed, "the description was awfully accurate."

She placed her hands on her hips, "what? I am so not attention seeking."

He opened his mouth, seemingly needing to protest but he shut his mouth before any words could come out.

She ignored him, seeing how mad he already is, "ok, Suigetsu, what do you so badly want to tell me? I'm about to lose my patience with you."

Suigetsu smirked, "oh no urgency, where do you want to go now?"

Karin frowned, "what? I'm not your girlfriend."

Suigetsu took her by the wrist and pulled her towards the shopping district, "really? My misfortune."

She lurched forward with his pull, "was that sarcasm in your voice? What- Are- You- Was that an insult?"

He stopped, "I believe so."

They walked past a news stand and Suigetsu took a free paper from the basket.

"You don't occur to me as the type who reads," she said.

He looked at the date and sighed.

"It's Friday, you're supposed to be happy, TGIF," she stated, "god, you're so weird."

"Well I know you never read the news," he muttered flipping through the pages, "you don't know who I am."

She stared at him and tried to match the face she's seeing to some event or some important thing, "are you the president's son?"

"Maybe this would help," he handed the paper to her at a designated page, "don't be too shocked and don't scream."

She took it from his hands and look at the almost empty page.

Oh shit. She got herself into a shit load of shit. No wonder he was trying to hide himself up. No he is not some fugitive.

God he had been kidnapped exactly two months ago.

People might think she's the kidnapper.

Or maybe he is trying to kidnap her, because he is 'kidnapped' but actually he is the kidnapper pretending to be kidnapped so he can kidnap other people, like her.

So the kidnapped is kidnapping.

"What do you want with me?" Karin asked tossing the paper back to him, "are you going to kidnap me?"

"No," his voice took a serious turn, "but someone else is. He kidnapped me and now he's planning to kidnap you too."

"What?" Karin tried her best not to believe this liar, but it all seemed too real, "why? Why does he want to kidnap me?"

"Same reason he did for me," Suigetsu had a sympathetic look on his face, "he sees potential in you, he wants you to help him."

"With?" Karin asked, "and who is he?"

Suigetsu looks as if there was something wrong. He held up his nose and look around taking in deep breaths. He had a killer look in his eyes.

"What?" she shook him, "what's wrong fucker?"

He looked at her with a serious expression, "speak of the devil. He's here."

"Who's here?" Karin asked, this was starting to piss her off, all the mysterious _he_.

Suigetsu took her by the shoulders to tell her that he was serious and did not want to joke around with her, "Orochimaru."

"Orochimaru?" she repeated the name, "you mean, Orochimaru sama? God he wouldn't hurt a fly."

* * *

"CAPTAIN!" one ANBU officer shouted, waving a map in the air, "WE FOUND OUT WHAT SHE WAS TRYING TO TELL US!"

The ANBU cop spread the map across the table, five ANBU cops and the captain gathered around to listen.

"This," he pointed to the drawing that was done at the crime scene, "this V.S stands for Video Store."

Everyone 'hmmm'ed and nodded with him.

"This is the video store," the ANBU cop pointed to this patch of land on the map, "and next to it- the hardware store," he looked at and met all their faces, "our suspect is here."

The captain made a face, "there are so many people working in that huge store, how do with know which one it is?"

"I GOT IT!" another ANBU cop flew into the room carrying a faxed document, "the store just faxed in the employee's daily check in and out timings!"

Everyone grabbed a chair and settled down around the table. They waited, expectantly for their Captain to say something.

The Captain took the faxed document and read through the different timings, "someone, bring me the reports on the two other girls that have been murdered. We need to match the timings so that they would correspond."

"Yes sir."

* * *

Suigetsu took her by the wrist and pulled her into the nearest shop, they went deep in until he could not longer smell Orochimaru.

"What are you doing?" Karin demanded, shaking her hand off Suigetsu's.

A red ring had formed around her wrist, Suigetsu had a tight grip.

"I need to tell you everything so you'll understand?" Suigetsu sighed, "god, save me. Ok, I'm from Konoha North High School, you're from…"

"Konoha West High School," Karin answered, "so, we're sister schools, big deal."

Suigetsu rolled his eyes, this girl was getting on his nerves, "No, he's taking you in cause you were originally from Konoha East. Orochimaru is going to get students who are studying or who have studied in Konoha South and West to join us. He needs us to help him get something from our schools."

Karin nodded slowly, "so he hand picked us, like… he chooses the best?"

He could see where she was heading to, "yes, he only picks the best… Horray for Karin, she's the best!" he cheered with sarcasm, "goodie!"

"I don't get it though," Karin stated.

Suigetsu raised a brow, "get what?"

"Why did he choose you?" she started pacing around him, examining his every inch.

He stood there, still and crossed hand, smirking, "see anything you like?"

Karin blushed in embarrassment and whacked his back, "no, not even if I set my standards really low. But carry on with your… story."

Suigetsu scoffed, "well from what I've gathered, I'm the first keeper and you're the second-"

"Second?" Karin questioned again, interpreting him, "second to you?"

Suigetsu felt like punching this bitch, if only they weren't in public.

"Well because it goes in a clock wise direction, so it's North, East, South, West damn it," Suigetsu almost screamed, "god, please shut up and listen, he might find us here any moment," he waited for her to shut up, "ok, I think he wants us to find something called a '_Cryptext_'. I'm not sure about the details, but I know he can't get hold of this Cryptext, it's like some sort of instruction to get something…"

"A _Cryptext_?"

* * *

"I've got a match!" one of the ANBU cops shouted, "here, this guy," he pointed to the name appearing three times at the exact dates of the crime, "he's a part timer, most high school students are."

"Is he working today?" the Captain asked.

The guy looked at the chart and the table the manager specially printed for them pertaining the working hours and days of each employee.

"Yes," the ANBU cop grinned, "he is scheduled to work today after school," he looked at his watch, "he should be off now, we would be able to catch him if he hurry."

The Captain nodded, evidently pleased with himself, being the first and only one to crack the case of the recent Konoha murders, "this murder case, and I, will go down in history," he muttered quietly to himself before taking out his walkie talkie, "this is your Captain speaking," he commanded through the device, "I want to dispatch all available units to the hardware store down town, we have found our suspect and possibly the criminal. Dispatch all units."

* * *

Orochimaru had been gracefully covering the crowded after school streets of Konoha. He had his sunglasses on so no one would recognize him. Earlier today, he had decided that it was time to proceed with _their_ plans, having only kidnapped one keeper, he didn't have much time left. Things need to go a little quicker than he thought.

He arranged to meet his assistant, Kabuto, at the town square at one o clock to kidnap the third keeper. Yes, they were going to skip the second, Orochimaru has yet to find out if Karin is really up for the job.

"Her sister didn't do very well," he thought, as he pushed pass the people, "look where her idiocy got her- in hell. Karin would have to learn from her sister's mistakes…"

"Hey, here."

He saw Kabuto waving at him frantically and urgent over.

"That boy ran off again," Kabuto told Orochimaru once they were side by side, "I guess we have to change our plans."

Oorchimaru shook his head, "Suigetsu wouldn't risk it, he'll come back…" he paused and thought about that flash of fiery red he had seen earlier, he smirked, "maybe he'll bring a friend along too."

Kabuto didn't understand what his superior was thinking and it was best he not question. He nodded in response.

Oorchimaru took the lead and briskly walked towards a charted destination, "we'll go according to the plan and get that boy, his recent projects never seize to astound me, it would be a pity not to have him join our group."

Karin flinched, she looked around the hardware store, scanning between shelves of tacks and nails, as if she was trying to find something abnormal.

"What?" Suigetsu asked, "you have a sixth sense?"

"No," Karin turned back to him and frowned at his sarcastic remark, "don't you feel like there's someone watching us?"

Suigetsu looked around, before scoffing, "if there is someone around, I would've smelt him or her…"

She punched his elbow, "stop smelling, god, you're such a freak."

He winced and rubbed the spot, "a freak is someone who dares meddle with a guy with razor sharp teeth."

Karin jabbed him again in the abdomen this time, "a freak is someone with razor sharp teeth."

Karin shove Suigetsu to the side, "fuck it, I really feel like there's someone here. Someone big."

Suigetsu winced again and decided not to retort, but lean coolly against the wall and listen. After all, she sort of heard him out on the whole 'Crytext' thing, I mean, who would believe such sort of things? Yeah, Karin. So, why shouldn't he just listen to her? An eye for and eye.

"I'm listening," he said after the long stale silence.

She lurched a little, "oh," she mouthed, she didn't think he'd ever be patient and listen, "I…" and now that she finally got his attention, she didn't know what to say, "you see…"

"Take you time," he settled on the floor, "it's not like anyone is here or anything, no one is watching us."

Some might take that as sarcasm, but there was literally no one on the same level as them. This is sort of the storage level for the hardware store. They were really, in a way, alone.

* * *

"Gone with the Wind?" she held the movie, dangling between her index and thumb, "The Notebook? Jerry Maguire? West Side Story? Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless mind?" she went through the different DVDs that Shikamaru picked, "I'm beginning to see a trend here… I'm not going to borrow any of these…"

"Why?" Shikamaru protested.

She looked at him with the most dreadful eyes, "don't make me say this Shikamaru. You think about it yourself."

"It's because I don't want to think about it, that's why I'm asking," Shikamaru said, "sometimes, using my brain is far too troublesome for me to handle."

She knew she couldn't possibly argue with a genius who wouldn't use his brain, "you-"

Something from outside distracted them. They turned to the entrance of the shop and noticed three police cruisers zooming by.

"Oh, the police are here," Temari said, hoping she might change the subject, "let go have a look."

He held her arm before she could walk any further, "yeah, we'll go woman, only after you tell me."

* * *

"Where is he?" the Captain demanded at the counter showing a picture of the suspect to the cashier.

She scrutinized for a moment before telling them that he went up to shift some boxes to the storage floor.

Eight ANBU cops and their Captain went up through the lift, while the other ran up the stairs, armed with weapons.

* * *

"I…" she was turning red.

Karin couldn't help but turn red. His gaze was on her and she was pressured to think of something witty to say to him.

"What was the question again?" she asked herself, "was there even a question? Or was I trying to prove something?" she couldn't recall anything but the momentary gentleness in his face, "fucker, you're screwing my mind."

Something instinctive flashed within him. Maybe she was right. Maybe she had been sensing someone all along, she just didn't know if it were true or not.

He looked around, but all the shelves and shelves of tacks and nails in boxes practically blocked their view of anything.

Suigetsu took a deep breath in and confirmed his suspicions.

There was indeed someone on the same level as them. This person had an odd scent of blood around him. Like his skin is covered with blood from different people. One, two, three. Three kinds of blood.

A doctor?

A chemist?

How can someone smell of different kinds of _human_ blood?

Karin shivered a bit, Suigetsu happened to realized that. She might have that talent of feeling another presence, can she feel the feeling of this person?

"Karin," Suigetsu called softly, "what can you feel?"

She noticed that sympathetic look in his eyes, "I'm not scared or anything. No, I just felt a…"

"A?" Suigetsu probed knowing freaking sure that it wasn't going to be nice.

"Murderous intent," Karin said, "but it's not true, no it's not."

Murderous intent? Links perfectly to the scent of different blood.

Can't be Oorchimaru, Suigetsu would've known. This is someone he doesn't know at all.

"Come," he took her by the wrist again, pulling her with him, "we have to go."

"Oh, so you're finally admitting that I had been right all along," she asked, following him, smirking, "idiot."

* * *

The doors of the lift slid open.

The Captain and the rest of the passengers looked around the new level they were brought to.

* * *

"Hey," someone called the pair, "what are you doing here?"

* * *

"Captain," the ANBU cop reported, "we've got the wrong level."

* * *

Suigetsu noticed the smell getting stronger and stronger as the orange haired boy walked towards them with a brush in hand and a bucket of paint in the other.

"We got to the wrong floor," Suigetsu said politely, trying to walk away from the situation as soon as possible, "sorry, we'll be making our way out."

"Not so fast," he said, "I need to check if you guys took anything from the storage, there are certain things that aren't supposed to be brought down yet."

Suigetsu hesitated, but he knew this guy isn't going to let them off without checking.

"We didn't take anything," Karin insisted, "this is a hardware store for crying out loud."

"We'll stay here while you check," Suigetsu offered.

The guy shook his head and made them follow him.

They walked to a place where Suigetsu and Karin never been to and along the way, Suigetsu tried looking out for a camera on the ceiling or somewhere along the walls.

"Can't you just check the cameras?" Suigetsu asked, "we didn't take anything."

Without turning back to look at them, he guy shook his head, "there are no cameras here, why would they keep a camera in a storage floor?"

"Fuck we didn't take anything," Karin scolded him, "what can we take from here? Nails? Hammers?"

Suigetsu interrupted her, "then let her go, if you find something missing, I'll be held responsible."

Besides, Karin would die if something penetrates into her flesh- he wouldn't.

Karin looked at him. A miracle has made Suigetsu so kind and thoughtful, she almost suspected he might have a split personality, or maybe he was experiencing _menopause_… This Suigetsu was a little formal and different in a bad way. The nice personality doesn't suit his smirk face.

The guy stopped and turned around. For the first time, Suigetsu noticed this guy's nametag- _Juugo_.

They were brought to the corner of the level and hidden behind boxes and boxes of screwdrivers. Juugo settle his brush down on the nearest box and shook his paint bucket in a circular motion.

"She can't go," Juugo muttered, his eyes seems to darken, "not until I kill her."

In a flash he took out a dagger from the bucket of paint- what a strategic location to hide your weapon. Marvelous. He aimed it towards Karin and lunged forward.

Just as quick as Juugo, Suigetsu pushed Karin aside and took the hit for her. The dagger dived into his torso and made a squishing sound.

Karin held on to some of the boxes instead of falling and witnessed the dagger running through Suigetsu's form. That would've been her, that would've been her, but he took it for her when he didn't need to. She was touched by his heroic act, his consideration for someone with such a foul tongue, probably even fouler than his. He didn't even know her well, just for a few minutes or maybe an hour, but he still did it for her. Truth be told, he didn't even moderately like her. So why is he doing this? Allowing the dagger to flow through his respiratory, nervous, digestive systems for her?

It didn't make sense.

But what furthered her confusion was his state after the hit- he seems perfectly fine. The wound created by the dagger disappeared as quickly as how it's formed.

Juugo was also relatively shocked, dumbfounded. He couldn't quite apprehend what his just witness- the reformation of flesh in just seconds. In all his life studying biology, of all the victims he had killed, none of them taught him how to speed up human recovery.

Suigetsu was nonchalant towards the whole sequence, he probably knew that the dagger was going to run in without causing any damage, he is so cool about it. While Juugo is still in his mild state of shock, Suigetsu grasped the opportunity to run out of the store with Karin through the second stair well.

Juugo couldn't believe he allowed his victims to escape, he is going to be exposed now. Everybody is going to find out that he was the one who killed Tamanaki Milla, Shiho and the most recent- Amaterasu Ni Aki.

He didn't do it all for the sake of science, no, he isn't a mad scientist. Unfortunately, his drive to kill all these women was his lust for blood, the love for death and the desire to kill.

"Juugo."

He turned towards the direction of the voice, expecting the police to be surrounding him with their guns in hand. But he was greeted by a friendlier face, one that he had seen in school before. In fact, he was rather surprised to find him here.

"Orochimaru sen sei?" Juugo called.

He immediately noticed the black haired male next to him, grinning like a wicked idiot.

"Hello Juugo," Orochimaru said between smirks, "I heard a lot about you and I must say, I am very impressed. I applaud your efforts."

"We want to help you," his companion said, "the police are making their way up, we have time to escape from the second stair well without the police noticing."

Juugo couldn't hesitate, as this man was saying, the police are making their way up, making their way up to catch him.

He nodded and briskly follow Oorchimaru and the guy down the second stair well just as the Captain and the ANBU arrived on the storage level.

* * *

They ran into the nearest store to hide, again. It's like they can't stop hiding and it's like trouble can't stop finding them.

"We damn well not be found here," Karin snapped as they hid behind the first shelf they came to, "where are we anyway?"

* * *

They darted out of the hardware store without being spotted by the police and ANBU, Orochimaru has his tactics.

Once they were in the crowd and blended in well, Orochimaru saw someone he was looking for in a shop nearby.

He beckoned Kabuto the keep an eye on Juugo while he went to his target.

* * *

Karin stood there, ignoring the people around them, they were similarly being ignored too, and watched for the guy who attempted to kill them. Suigetsu was just standing there, being unusually quiet.

"Um… woman," he muttered.

She looked at him with the 'what the hell do you want' face.

A smirk slowly formed on Suigetsu's face as his eyed the clear space between them, "did know you like me that much."

Karin knitted her brows and looked to the direction his eyes were gazing at and it finally dawned on her that her fingers were entwined with his. Her's tightly gripping to his smooth, broad hand, nails digging deep into his pale skin.

Karin bit her lips, embarrassed at her current plight. She quickly release her grip on his hand and shook her hand rapidly amidst the empty space, like she was shoo- ing a fly away.

"Oh, is that a blush I see?" Suigetsu asked, mocking her, "Little Miss I'm- so- in- love- with- Suigetsu- but- I- know- he- doesn't- like- me."

She shot him a death glare, "what if you're the one holding on to my hand? It can be seen from both ways, fucker. Besides, I was…"

"Was?" Suigetsu probed.

"Was…" she wrecked her brain for a suitable word, one that Suigetsu can't distort the meaning of, "well, in a state of pure panic."

"Panic?" he said skeptically, "so you held my hand? For your information four eyes, I won't always be there when you're in 'a state of pure panic' you can't always rely on me."

She wanted to retort, but her memory seemed to be relapsing. Her mind was engulfed with the scene which took place on the hardware store. Before long, she recalled how Suigetsu had pushed her aside and took the direct hit for her. And very vividly, she remembered how there wasn't any bloodshed.

She looked at the spot where she recalled had been hit- no blood, no marks, just a torn through the shirt.

Then, she was tempted to reach forward to touch it, and examine his skin, but she shoved that thought away and suppressed her temptation. Karin didn't want Suigetsu to think that she likes him just because she wanted to touch him- for curiosity reasons.

"What are you?" she asked simply.

It took him a few seconds to realize that she wasn't retorting his statement- please the two sentences possess not link- rather, she was referring to the phenomenon that happened minutes ago.

"You said I was a freak," Suigetsu said coolly, "and a freak is all I am."

"I'm serious here," Karin argued.

Suigetsu shook his head slowly, like a father starting to get angry with his daughter, "curiosity killed the cat."

* * *

He followed the person into the store. The tips of his thin mouth went up and his brows moved in a wave.

"Hello."

* * *

"Hello."

Karin literally jumped on the spot, "fuck."

* * *

"Hello Danzo," Orochimaru said, tappin the guy on the shoulder, "I wanted to call, but seeing that you're conveniently here, I might as well tell you right here, right now."

Danzo turned from the shelve of books and faced Orochimaru, "from what I've heard, you only got hold of one keeper."

"Yes," Orochimaru nodded slowly, his facial expression remained the same, "we got Suigetsu, the first keeper. Now we've just caught Juugo."

Danzo's eyes widened a little, "Juugo? The third keeper? I thought he'd be harder to get compared to Karin."

Orochimaru paced along the row of books and randomly picked out a book from the neat lot. He opened it, flipped through a few pages and closed it with a 'thump' sound.

"Karin is getting a little help from our dear Suigetsu," Orochimaru swiftly said, "but that boy can't go too far with her," he faced Danzo and started walking towards him, "he would come back, or else he'd bare the consequences."

He briskly, yet coolly walked passed Danzo and placed the book he had picked in Danzo's hand. In seconds, he was out of the store.

The lone figure took a deep breath before looking at the title of the book Orochimaru passed to him- _The Most Dangerous Game_.

* * *

"I scared you? Sorry."

Karin spun around to find her school mates behind her with a bunch of videos in hand.

"You're Ino's friend," Karin pointed at Temari.

Temari rolled her eyes, "it's Temari. You saw me today morning."

"And you're Shikamaru," Karin pointed out.

"Another fangirl," Temari muttered restlessly, "I thought you were in the Sasuke army."

Karin's eyes twitched a little, "fangirl, in no fucking way I'm I a fangirl of anyone. I just happen to know the child prodigy, please, so many of my classmates love him. I'm so not into nerds."

"Hi," Suigetsu said, "I'm Getsu. Karin likes me, she just doesn't want to admit it."

Temari watched Suigetsu's face for a moment, relatively sure she had seen it before.

"You look like that guy who was kidnapped," Temari stated.

Shikamaru also took a full body look at him, "that's because he is that guy. Hozuki Suigetsu."

"Oh really," Temari took another full body scan, before nodded along with Shikamaru, "oh yeah."

There was amazement present in the air. Partially because Suigetsu, a boy that has took the media by storm with his disappearance is standing, materialized before them. Partially because Suigetsu is worth half a million if you find him and both Shikamaru and Temari are so nonchalant about it.

The four were silent for a while as Shikamaru and Temari scrutinized Suigetsu's every inch. Karin stood there wondering why she didn't turn him in, he was more trouble for her and this vessel of pure annoyance is worth half a million. Suigetsu watched his two new acquaintances, watch him, getting ready to escape- with or without Karin- in case they ever thought of bringing him to the police.

"See you in school then," Temari said breaking the awkward silence between them, "let's go Shikamaru, it's getting late."

Shikamaru followed behind her flipping through the few DVDs they got that day.

Karin was a little surprised that they actually walked away from half a million.

"They're pretty weird people if you ask me," Suigetsu commented as he watch Shikamaru pay for the rental.

Karin looked at the half a million dollar man next to her, "but I didn't ask. What's wrong with you? You answer questions that I don't ask, yet you don't answer questions that I ask."

"I'm an oxymoron," Suigetsu smirked following Karin out of the store, "and you like it."

She kicked him hard on the shin, "like you?" she scoffed, "I can't even bring myself to look at you without distaste filling my heart."

Suigetsu stopped outside the store, "seriously, you didn't sense you friends behind you just now all because your mind and sense are preoccupied with something else."

Karin growled under her breath, "fuck off."

Suigetsu held a straight arm in front of her to stop her from entering the busy crowd.

"Ass," Karin almost screamed into his face.

Suigetsu's bloody arm almost fucking touched her bosoms. It made her chest tight and her chest muscles contracted, his arm was so near her sensitive spot.

"Don't think my intention was to touch your small milk bags," Suigetsu tried not to laugh, "I want you to try sensing for Orochimaru's, Kabuto's or Juugo's presence."

Karin hesitated and glanced at Suigetsu, "I can't. Just smell their blood, you're a fucking shark after all."

Suigetsu sighed, "I already know their not here, I just wanted you to try, woman. Gosh, you need to practice that sensory ability of yours, it'll be harder for Orochimaru to get you then."

She didn't quite get the last part to his sentence. He seems contradict himself in an indirect way.

"Oh really," Karin folded her arms, "I seriously thought that you wanted me to fall into the pit of doom and rot there- at least that's what I thought. But here you are, telling me not to get kidnapped by Orochimaru," she gazed around, "I don't get you. You're ironic. Ironic people are bloody faggots."

Suigetsu took one step away from Karin and into the crowd, "it's late bitch, you better go home, mommy might be worried."

With that he penetrated deeper into the crowd and disappeared. Karin was left there, wondering how he did that, why he said that, what was she going to do now.

She recalled Suigetsu's words: curiosity killed the cat.

"Yeah Karin," she thought to herself, "shouldn't wonder too much… especially about that boy."

* * *

_The number you've dialed is unavailable, please try again later. Thank you. _

Zetsu dropped the phone onto the nearby sofa. Aki hasn't been answering his calls, she was supposed to come by six hours ago to help him with the experiment. Where the hell can she be?

The phone rang again, as if reading his thoughts.

He briskly swiped the phone off the sofa and answered it, "hello?"

"Is this Mr. Zetsu on the line?" the caller asked.

He normally wouldn't receive calls from anyone but Aki and the Akatsuki, so this call was rather surprising.

"Yeah, that's me," he replied politely, "is there something you need?"

The guy paused for a while to clear his throat, "I am sad to inform you that your friend Amaterasu Ni Aki has been murdered."

* * *

Temari returned home unusually early today, normally she would reach the house while they were having their dinner, however, she stepped in _before_ they had it.

"Don't ask," Temari said settling her school bag down next to the sofa, replying to her friends questionable look, "apparently I've watched two out of three of the movies I picked. I'm losing my memory, I'm growing…" she cringed at the thought of her next word, "_old_."

Sakura was on the sofa watching some cheesy soap opera, she rolled her eyes when she heard Temari's little complain, "geez Temari, no one grows _younger_."

Temari gave Sakura a look before settling down on the sofa next to Sakura, "where's Pochi?"

Tenten started to laugh at the mention of the weasel's name, "Pochi made Ino seriously pissed today."

Temari took a sip of water from her bottle, gulped it before replying to Tenten's statement, "what happened?"

It was as if Ino had been hiding behind the wall or something, she just burst out at the right time, screaming: THAT FOUL CREATURE!

Everyone was pretty taken aback by her sudden entrance into the once ambient scene. Hinata, who had just graced out of the kitchen with a tray in hand, shook the tray so madly that they swore everything jumped up an inch.

"Your freaking monster of a… a.. pet," Ino stomped out from her secluding corner, "totally ran off, out of the house, into the streets, entering the _wild_, kappish!"

Temari raised a brow, "the wild?"

"Shut up," Ino interjected, "what I'm trying to say is that Pochi, that bloody animal, made me search all over the district for him, her, it, whatever. And I lost all my time which I had originally allocated to watching the telly, online shopping, painting my nails and totally missed the season finale of _America's Next Top Model_."

The others looked at each other, making the same kind of faces.

"Whoa," Sakura said with her eyes glued to the sitcom, "harsh. Now, would you please move a little to the left, you're blocking me."

Ino stomped her feet, realizing that her friends wouldn't understand why all those meant so much to her. With that she returned to the room, returned to her solitude and despire having missing the last episode of _America's Next Top Model_- for that season.

Temari sighed, got her butt off the table as everyone resumed with their activities; Hinata bringing out dinner, Tenten setting the dinner table, Sakura watching her mushy drama.

"Ino," Temari called leaning against the door frame and watching the frail little body roll around her bed, "sorry."

The girl looked towards Temari's direction bearing a pout on her face.

Temari realized that not many girl can carry off such a pout so well without making themselves look like a fool. Most girls aren't even willing to try pouting- their dignity would be at stake. Temari wasn't that kind of girl though, she tried pouting- to herself. To her horror, she didn't look good doing it, not even moderately good. It was as if she donned on the mask of a mutated zombie girlfriend from those horror movies coming to seek revenge on their boyfriends for throwing them into a tank of acid before their death.

Ino, inexpicably, look remarkable with a pout. It was those kinds that would grab the pity of the on looker in a split second.

"You better be," she muttered under her breath, "now I don't know who won _America's Next Top Model_…"

Temari shrugged, "where did you find Pochi?"

Ino sat up from her soft bed and her eyes seem to rotate in circles, "well," she said, thinking, "I found it at a construction site."

"Construction site?" Temari repeated.

She specifically recalled seeing no construction site of any sorts when she was coming home. Did Ino really go that far off to look of Pochi?

"It isn't really that far away," Ino said, like she read minds, "it's just hidden."

Hidden. Ok, no wonder.

"The government is building a new school there," she added voluntarily, "for specific, invited people. It's a high school. Like ours."

Temari nodded as Ino talked about the details of the school, "ok… ok… so it's like those kinds of preppy, prestigious school? Like where students have to wear this blazer, a woolen sweater… and tie?"

Ino chewed onto the walls of her mouth as she tried to visualize whatever Temari was trying to get her to see, "in a way… I don't know much, Temari."

The roller chair laid in the middle of the room, waiting to be sat on by it's regular seater- Temari. She just plopped herself on the worn cushioned seat and started rolling towards Ino's bed side.

"We're going to have more neighbors then," Temari concluded, "every mother would want to send their child there. I have the chills even thinking about how their cheerleaders would look like."

Her companion laughed heartily, "yeah, you can't even stand the one's from our school."

They heard the girls dragging the chairs from under the table in the living room. Guess dinner was ready.

"Whatever," Temari said getting up from her seat, "we're not going there anyways… Dinner's ready."

Like a rubber band, Ino bounced back on to her bed and laid on her pillow, "call me five minutes later."

* * *

The hide out was quiet, unusually silent. By now Orochimaru should be injecting some kind of freak chemical into Juugo, perhaps he came in too late to save the third keeper.

This thought boosted his morale, he was starting to feel more like a person, with a good heart. Ok, that seems pretty disgusting, since when did having a good heart matter at all to him? Well, in less revolting and more roguish terms- he didn't want Orochimaru to get hold of that Crytext, he has a strange feel that he is part of this whole plan of world domination, which seems pretty stupid, but nonetheless possible.

"Kabuto?" Suigetsu called, he heard his voice bouncing off the metallic wals and vibrating through the air, "eh, I'm back."

He walked further into the dark hallways, watching out for any signs of nearby movement, trying to smell any trail of blood in the air. There can't be blood, goody little Kabuto is so hygienic, after every experiment he would wash the room, sterilize the equipment and incinerate any left overs.

He jerked, eyes widening.

Could it be? Their using it on him now?

The toned body lurched forward, he supported himself with his outstretched arms. Without his quick agilty, Suigetsu might have ended up with a broken nose.

But one arm gave way, his elbow joint unlocked and he fell down with a thump. It was louder due to the metal flooring, there was a thumping echo.

His unaffected hand gripped hold of his other arm, struggling in vain to locate the chip Orochimaru had installed on him while he was unconscious.

Yes, he had been unconscious before, Orochimaru kidnapped him. But that wasn't the first time he met that seemingly friend individual.

"Urghh," he winced, the electric static shot though his arm, paralyzing half his body- punishment he got for sneaking out.

Liquification didn't seize the pain either, it remained the same. Considering the fact that he is a body of liquid held together by a force, the agony he would feel. Especially since he is a _body of water_, and because water is a _conductor of electricity_, it would feel ten times harsher on him than any other human being.

"God," he kicked onto the metal wall, "stop this… shit."

It was little the tiny static you feel when you touch someone in a cold country- except a few million times worse- and it is suffered throughout the body. He felt numb, paralyzed all over, like a stingy antiseptic seeping into an out open wound. The fine hairs on his arms and legs seem to jolt up and at their ends tiny sparks seem to be dominant.

A shadow seem to come over him, and against the gleaming ceiling light, she couldn't quite see who it was, or even make out the person's figure. All he knew was that the pain was like nothing he felt before, perhaps he had underestimated Orochimaru's definition of Agony.

"Suigetsu," the person spoke.

It sounded vaguely like Kabuto.

"Sneak out again, this is what you get," he said, "you understand me?"

Suigetsu struggled to look the person in the eye- he couldn't even locate it- but he managed to yank open on of his eyelids and glance at the person.

"Oh please, this is nothing. It's not pain at all," he managed to stifle out of his barely open mouth, "it's just…," he winced as the jolt of electricity graced through his torso, "_ticklish_."

Kabuto didn't put him through the pain too long. He had decided that he'd save the torturing till later when their done with him. So Suigetsu followed Kabuto to the laboratory where Juugo so happens to be in.

The sight of the laboratory simply gave him the chills. Every time he takes a glance at the frightening rusty metal door, a thought never seize to inject his mind: How did all these happen?

Then one thought brought him to another, and very soon, he would be caught in a flashback, all the way from the time where he had met Orochimaru and his partner Kabuto…

* * *

_The previous year, January. _

_The hall was cacophonous and freakishly packed with preppy looking freshmen just waiting to absorb all the new knowledge and intelligence they can like a fucking sponge. He didn't really have a fair entry into the school, he was just… talented in a certain area, that's why the school was obliged to accept him. _

_As usual, the principal would come on stage and give a very long talk to the freshmen about the changes they'd see in High School life as well as the subjects and the curriculum they can chose from. _

_To Suigetsu's relief, all the boring shit was went through faster then expected and very soon, all of them were gathered in their classrooms to meet their classmates and their teachers. _

_He's first impression of his classmates- nerds. The moment they enter their respective classroom, they were having a hissy fit over who gets to get the seat directly in front of the teacher. Some that were less… nerdy were able to settle for a seat in the front row. He was the only one who could actually sit at the back and not complain endlessly about it. _

_It wasn't as if he didn't expect any of these behaviors, he just didn't think it would be that severe. Sure Konoha North is a prestigious school and sure it has intelligent students. But really, do they need to be so… annoying? Is there a better word? Something along the lines of 'never wanting to fail, especially academically'. _

_Well, the nerds were one problem… then there was also the problem of…_

_Girls. _

_Oh how he hated the way none of them have an attitude, a personality, a life. Everytime some girl comes up to him, smiling their brace face smile, adjusting their cashmere sweater, they would never fail to mention something scientific. Oh how he hated those Valentine's Day cards:_

'_Dearest Suigetsu,_

_I've been studying about the Judgment of Paris and realized how Paris and yourself have such uncanny similarities- outrageously good looks. And a thought crossed my mind, if you had to give the apple of discord to anyone who would you give it to? _

_Love,_

_Girl X.'_

'_Happy Valentine's Day Suigetsu sama,_

_We should be together, forever, just like parallel lines, stretching into infinity, next to each other, together, forever._

_Hugs and Kisses,_

_Girl Y.'_

_Who the hell knows what the fuck the apple of discord is? Who the hell is Paris? Paris Hilton? And parallel lines? Oh please, aren't they like a slanted rectangle or something? They meet!_

_So yes, these were a few of his problems… well until Oorchimaru came along an started becoming his talent class teacher in charge. _

"_Faster Suigetsu," Orochimaru would shout, "faster! The tournaments are coming and you're improving! Faster!"_

_The number of girls watching him gradually decreased ever since Oorchimaru came. He kind of freaked them out with his pale skin and his piercing yellow eyes. They were intimidated. _

_And one day, as his head emerged from the water of the swimming pool, he realized there was no one but Orochimaru watching him. In a way this man helped him get rid of one thing bothering him in school._

_After every swimming practice, he would bring Suigetsu out for a drink in the nearby café and Suigetsu would order his ever favorite drink- water. He never thought that one day his drink might be spiked and he would pass out. _

_He also never thought that one day, he would be under the control of someone. _

_He felt like a slave. _

* * *

He looked at Juugo sitting upright on the experiment table, staring into the musty air, complete oblivious to Suigetsu's presence.

Earlier on, Kabuto had left to get Orochimaru, to tell him that Juugo is finally conscious. He left the two of them alone in the lab.

"You were from Konoha South, aren't you?" Suigetsu asked once their alone, "but now you're in Konoha West…"

Juugo slowly turned his head towards Suigetsu with a blank expression in his eyes before nodding in reply to the question.

"Then," Suigetsu rocked back and forth on his feet, "you must know Karin."

"Forget it," Juugo muttered, his voice was low and a little husky, "she already likes Sasuke."

Suigetsu made a distorted face, "wh… what are you saying? I'm just asking a… friendly question. Who said I like her? I didn't, I just asked if you know her. If I ask you: Do you know Orochimaru? Doesn't mean I like him, eww, no."

Juugo just looked away.

Suigetsu couldn't help but ask another question, "why did you come here? Out of your own free will?"

"He helped me," Juugo said, "now I'll help him."

* * *

Her mouth smelled vaguely of peppermint, probably her toothpaste. With a bottle of Coke in her hand, Karin walked towards her bedroom where the TV sat switched on for the past one hour ever since she returned home from her series of unfortunate events.

She plopped down onto the edge of the bed where it was closest to the telly screen and flicked through the numerous channels she had.

Normally, Karin would turn to what one of her favorite TV shows- _The Hills_- but today, unexpectedly, her skilled thumb accidentally flipped the channel to the news channel.

There the broadcast journalist sat, all pretty and sweet voiced, smiling away to the camera.

Seems like they had just returned from a commercial break.

"_Welcome back. Recently, there has been a series of disappearances and kidnappings of teenagers between the ages of thirteen and twenty. Investigation reveals that these teenagers might have been victims of what is more commonly known as 'Sex Trafficking'. Reports show that our neighboring countries such as South Korea and Taiwan have recently been plagued by such trafficking. The police and the ANBU urge all parents to watch over their children and know their whereabouts. If anyone has information on the following teenagers: Aiori Daiko, 15, Kawari Nikito, 19, Hyfyku Nyuyonho, 18, Katake Kushiri and Katake Kushira , both 14, Minizaro Tetsuo, 15…"_

As the names were being read out, the picture of the missing teenagers flashed onto the screen and in each picture, Karin saw what seemed like the happiest and some what attractive teenagers she'd ever seen. She couldn't help but pity these kids all being submitted to sex trafficking, being robbed of their lives and their dignity.

It was seriously… fucked up.

"… _and lastly, swimming prodigy Hozuki Suigetsu. Any information about any of the mentioned teenagers would be confidentially handled with. See you after the break."_

After the news caster announce Suigetsu, Karin was certain this sex trafficking whoo haa was all pseudo, just some diversion the government came up with to elude the civilians. She wasn't fooled.

And even if it really was sex trafficking… who in the right mind would want to go fuck around with him?

"Not me," Karin muttered as she switched the channel, remembering her terribly sick friends, "I almost forgot to call those sick bitches."

She dialed Hikari, the first sick bitch, "come on, pick up."

"Hello?"

"Hikari?"

"Karin! God I was wondering when you'd call, I rang you so many times! What happened?"

Last time she check the receiver, there was only one miss call from Hikari.

"I-" Karin was interrupted before she even started.

In the background, she heard a low, gruffy voice calling Hikari's name and Hikari answering the person.

"Who's that?" she asked when Hikari re answered the phone, "sounded like a guy."

"It's Shay," Hikari giggled, "he came to visit."

Shay? The Shay from her previous school? The hot and spicy Shay from Konoha East? He came all the way to Hikari's house to visit her? He was supposed to be her man, HER MAN!

"O…k," she said, trying not to release too much anger, "so are you guys coming tomorrow?"

Hikari made some weird sound with her voice, "sorry darling, I still have the flu… But what really surprised me was the fact that you came home late… who did you hang out with while we were gone? Who can you hang out with?"

That, that statement was a fucking, direct insult. Bitch. Bimbo.

Karin started wondering what kind of friends she had.

"Er…"

"I hope you didn't stick around with those yucky nerds… that'll ruin my rep…" Hikari muttered, "or those goth freaks… did you?"

Her rep? Fucking bitch.

"Oh er…"

"Or were you _alone_?" she gasped, "I'd be caught dead being alone."

FUCK, SHE WAS TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING DAMNIT!

"HIKARI!" she screamed, "I was with someone, god."

Hikari paused for a while, "ok, who?"

Karin wanted to moan, why was this bitch so nosy?

"My boyfriend," Karin managed to lie nicely.

"YOUR BOYFRIEND?" Hikari almost screamed, "WHO IS HE? I WANT TO MEET HIM? IS HE HOT? IS HE SEXY? I WANT TO KNOW?"

The thing is, Hikari didn't sound a wee bit sick. I mean, don't people with flu talk with a nasal? What happened to hers?

Truth is, she didn't have a boyfriend. Not that no boy likes her, just haven't met the right one yet.

The first person she thought of when Hikari asked was Suigetsu- primarily because she just watched him on the news… nothing else. And if she really did tell Hikari and let her meet Suigetsu, she is bound to fall in love with him and take him away. Like how she did for Shay- although Karin and Shay were never an item.

"OH MY GOD," she mentally screamed, "WHAT WAS I IMPLYING?"

Karin and Suigetsu were never and will never be an item- according to herself.

Maybe she just thought of that because she didn't want Hikari to be with Suigetsu… but merely thinking of that makes her wonder if _she_ wanted to be with Suigetsu, because she didn't want another girl to be with him, so it must mean that she wants to be with him…

This is confusing.

"Karin?" Hikari's voice rang in her ear, "hello?"

Karin just hung the phone.

"So do I like him?" she asked herself again, "am I showing signs of liking him? What are the signs? Calm down Karin… you're being OOC now…"

* * *

A/N: Did this take long? Sorry.

Please review, they make me the happiest jellybeans alive!


	20. Episode Twenty: Murder Case Resolution

A/N: I LOVE ALL OF MY SHIKATEMA FAN REVIEWERS! And, for **the girl in your closet **your review got me thinking, and yes, this is a ShikaTema fic but I'm adding Suika cause it's going to help me with my next plot. Sorry if I had disappointed you in any way. Thanks for the review!

Oh, and this is by far the LONGEST CHAPTER. It stretches across 70 pages on Microsoft Word, font size 12 (to show I haven't been cheat with huge font sizes). Remember to exercise your eyes after 30 minutes and keep your distance from the screen! Believe me, this chapter is LONG.

Disclaimer: I do not own any anime.

* * *

The crowd was so bad, Tsunade had to personally come out of the school with a very loud loudhailer and scream at all of them.

"Temari would not entertain and accept any interviews from the press," she said, "I would not hesitate to call the police if you do not leave!"

With that, she took a sip of sake from the bottle in hand and trudged back into the school, shutting the main doors behind her.

Tsunade walked pass her students as if they weren't there and headed straight in Temari's direction, nodding slowly.

"If this continues," she said exasperatedly, "then I guess that Konoha West yearly sports day would be really packed."

"Sports Day?" Temari repeated, "what's that?"

Tsunade shook her head, "it's happening in a weeks time, I'm going to announce it later today when everyone is in class. I do hope you can find a way to reduce the crowd, Temari."

She brought the loud hailer close to her mouth, "students, proceed back to your respective classes. Thank you."

* * *

Kakashi came to class late, as usual. He sat down at the teachers desk and looked around the classroom filled with faces he haven't seen in a long time.

"Kakashi sensei!" Kiba jolted from his seat, "you're back!"

"We heard all about your youthful act in the papers," Lee screamed, "you were so youthfully brave! How did you know she was going to be there?"

Kakashi raised his hand up to signal for everyone to keep quiet, "it was Anko who thought of it at the right time. She was suspicious about Gaara and Kankuro."

Everyone clapped for her as she blushed slightly in embarrassment.

"I would also like to add that we have a," he paused, "a 'princess' in our class now, so it'd be pretty cool, other classes would have to think twice before messing with us, cause they might get," he did a horizontal dash across his neck with his hand and made a agonizing expression, "beheaded."

Just then, the PA system sounded as if it was on air. Everyone toned down their volume instinctively and waited for what the announcer has to say.

"_This is Principal Tsunade speaking. For today's announcements: Our school badminton team had a face off with Fire Lake high yesterday and won them to a score of 25- 3. Congratulations. Also, adding to our achievements, would be the school's symphonic band which clinched gold in the recent Sound festival. Great job. The floorball team has too done us proud as they proceed on to the semi finals of the National Floorball Championship. Fantastic. In other news, I would like to properly announce the start of Pre Sports Day. Sports Day would be one week from today. So classes, do prepare for the different events and select participants for the Big Relay. Wish the classes all the best and Gambatte!_"

The class was in a buzz seconds after Tsunade got off the PA system. As freshmen, there were many things they didn't know, and one of which would be the yearly Konoha West Sports Day.

Ino raised her hand, "Kakashi sensei, what do they mean by Pre Sports Day?"

Kakashi took a piece of paper from between his thick book and read it, "it seems to be a period of time in which a class decides who would be suitable for certain events," he read from the paper, "and especially the Big Relay."

"What's the Big Relay?" Matsuri asked.

Kakashi read the paper again, "it seems like the main event, each class have to send ten representatives to participate in an unknown relay."

* * *

"Karin," Genma called, "Karin!"

She jolted up from her day dreaming position and looked around.

"Karin," Genma called another time to get her full attention, "you're always the talkative one, but yesterday and today, you've just been plain quiet."

She snorted, "so? I need to take a break from popularity."

Genma laughed, "very funny, you're just lonely cause you're friends are down with a cold. If you haven't heard what we have just discussed, here's the low down: you're going to be the last person in the relay."

"What?" Karin felt all eyes on her now, "no, no, _last_? Why me? I can't run for nuts!"

Genma shrugged and pointed to the white board. Apparently, while she hadn't been paying attention, everyone has been voting for the nominated few, who should go first, second, third etc. So happens, she had been voted to be the last one in the relay. Oh joy.

"I- You-" she grumbled, "fine."

Nothing ever works out right for her these days.

Nothing.

She prayed that the other classes had chosen slow student to be the last one. Karin didn't want to be the weakest link. That'll be embarrassing.

* * *

"Come on," Kakashi moaned, "enthusiasm! Enthusiasm!"

He said it so monotonously, nobody could quite follow through.

He dropped his hands to his sides and looked at the few names on the board, "ok, what we have gathered, in the relay, Lee would go first, followed by Kiba, then Naruto third and fourth, Tenten fifth and sixth, Matsuri seventh, Neji eighth, Sai ninth," he stopped, "we need one more person, come on, I want to get this over with. Submit the participant form and slack like mad. So?" he waited for someone to volunteer, but no one would.

Who would want to go last? All the pressure would be on that person to help the class win the relay. And what are the chances that person would win? They haven't studied Probability yet, so they wouldn't know.

"Hinata?" Kakashi asked out of desperation, "can you do it?"

Ino raised her hand, "Kakashi sensei, Hinata is asthmatic, she can't run."

Kakashi shook his head, "then what about you?"

"Me?" Ino pointed to herself like it was a joke.

"Yeah, you, gave me a good reason why you can't be in the relay," Kakashi said, "or I'll put you down for it."

Ino bit her lips and cursed herself for being such a loudmouth, "well," she stammered, "I can't go because… my ankles are weak from walking in those high heels all day long, I might break them any second… if you know what I mean. And Sai needs moral support, do you know how tough is it for an artist to volunteer himself for a _relay_? He might break his fingers and might never be able to draw again! So yes, I can't run."

Kakashi sighed, "Sakura?"

Sakura sat up straight and grinned widely, "well Kakashi sensei, I'm helping out on that day, as a paramedic. I am on stand by, so I can't be involved in anything."

Kakakshi shifted his attention to the quiet and expressionless Neji, and turned back to Sakura, "why isn't Neji involved then?"

Sakura gave a 'what the hell' look, "Kakashi sensei! Neji is a man! He can't be prancing around tying bandages! He needs to be on that field, playing hard for his class and do other manly stuff. Cause treating people isn't very manly."

"You people really don't want to do this eh?" Kakashi shook his head disappointedly, "never mind you. Temari? Wait! Being a 'princess' is no excuse."

Temari rolled her eyes, "I need to film this school event. I'm in the movie making club, remember?"

He sank down into his seat and frowned like a little child, "Anko? And don't manipulate me you bitch."

Anko sat there, moving my mouth like she's chewing gum, "you haven't asked Sasuke yet."

Kakashi's face lit up and he turned to Sasuke, who has been quietly sitting in the corner of the class, hoping not to be noticed.

Sasuke shot Anko a look when she mentioned him, "fine."

He grinned and happily noted down the last name in the relay, "I know you guys are mentally fit, but are you physically fit? Ahh, that's the question."

Chouji stood up and banged his fist against his table, "did you see that? He looked at me went he said it!" Chouji's eyebrows sank and he glared at Kakashi, "what are you hinting me?"

Naruto looked at Chouji, "lets face it, you're f-"

"CLASS DISMISSED!" Kakashi said it so loudly, Naruto's last word couldn't be heard at all.

* * *

Temari dropped her tray onto the table before settling down herself.

"You shouldn't have done that, Chouji," Shikamaru said after hearing the dramatic incident that occurred during class, "it's troublesome."

"Troublesome?" Chouji was aghast, "he was eyeing me!"

"Can we drop this?" Temari asked in her last ditch attempt to stop Chouji from ranting over and over against about Kakashi sensei's 'look'.

Non stop, since Kakashi left the class, has Chouji been complaining on and on about discrimination against 'chubby' teenagers. He mentioned how it is unfair that some people have higher metabolism compared to others, it makes losing weight easier for them. Shikamaru told him repeated upon his remark that 'nothing is fair'. But Chouji wouldn't take that in.

"When you look like me," Chouji said, "ask yourself if you would drop this."

She kept quiet after that, she knew how sensitive Chouji was about his weight. But Shikamaru just wouldn't shut up.

"Ok," Shikamaru said, "if you feel so bad about it, why don't you shed some pounds, lose weight, go on a diet, do anything? Cause at the moment, you're just being paranoid. But you're not doing anything."

Temari could tell that Chouji was starting to feel uncomfortable, "Shikamaru, stop."

He ignored her, "why can't people think you're fat? Chouji? Why? Truth is, you're fat and you seem like you don't care about it. But when we actually tell you, you get awfully pissed! That isn't going to change the fact that you are, inevitably, _fat_."

Temari stood up from her seat, "I'm going to eat with Hinata and Tenten."

She got up, took her tray and left as briskly as possible. The two of them were about to get into a heated argument and doesn't want anything to do with it. She was in it once, and she doesn't want to be involved again. As they say, once bitten, twice shy. Those two guys, no matter how close they are, even though they were childhood buddies or how one thinks everything is troublesome, their fights never seize to get harsh and dangerous. But they never get physical.

"Hey," Temari said settling her tray onto the table and sitting opposite Tenten with Hinata next to her.

"Sakura and Ino are with you know who," Tenten said, "we're the lone ones left."

"Isn't being single supposed to be good?" Temari asked, "I feel proud to be single."

"You? Single?" Hinata questioned, "I don't think so."

Tenten made a face, "you practically entered Nara Shikamaru's bedroom in the evening and only came out the next day. And you call that single?"

"Fuck," Temari played around with her food, "we didn't do anything."

Tenten and Hinata closed up on her. It made her nervous.

"So you're telling me the two of you have been playing Monopoly all night long?" Tenten asked, "is that it?"

Temari pushed a spoonful of rice into her mouth and glanced at the two girls, "yes. And I won."

Tenten pulled away, "liar."

If it weren't for Karin setting her lunch a few feet away from them, alone, they would've continued to harass the poor Temari.

"Looks like her friends aren't here today," Hinata said, with a pitying tone in her voice.

Tenten nodded, "she's lonely…aw… Ino would love to see this."

"She not lonely," Temari said, as she ate her food and watched the news being broadcasted on the television in the cafeteria, "Shikamaru and I saw Karin and her boyfriend yesterday."

"Her boyfriend?" Tenten said so loudly, it caught Karin's attention.

Temari saw the glare Karin was giving her, she kind of got the message behind it.

"On, second thought," Temari quickly redeemed herself, "maybe it was her… brother… they do look alike… in a very weird way."

"I didn't know she had a brother," Hinata said.

"Me neither," Tenten added, "are you sure. Then again, which guy would actually fall for Karin?"

"_Hozuki Suigetsu_…"

Karin jolted at the sheer coincidence. Yes, she had been snooping in on their conversation- just in case Temari spills anything.

"…_has been sighted in various parts of Konoha yesterday with a unknown female character_," the news reporter said, "_footage from Hurani Hardware store captured the fiery red head entering the store with Hozuki. She is believed to be having on a pair of black framed spectacles and around the age of sixteen to eighteen years. Anyone with any leads on who this girl might be please call the following number._"

Once the news broadcast was over, Temari glanced over to Karin's direction, but she found no one there. Frantically, she looked around for her, but she had long left the cafeteria.

"For a moment there," Tenten said, "that person sounds awfully like Karin."

Temari looked at Tenten with a weird expression, "you were listening to the news?"

"Only because you were listening," Tenten claimed, "and Hinata too."

Temari looked at Hinata, "you were? I thought no one ever watches the stupid news!"

* * *

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," she muttered, loud enough for the person on the other side of the door to hear.

She looked up from her paperwork when she heard the door close and when she realized that it was an ANBU Captain, Tsunade signed.

"What now?" she asked, restlessly, "this place is slowly becoming an attraction to the police and ANBU force."

The Captain settled down in the seat in front of her table and slid a folder towards her. Hesitantly, she opened it up, carefully keeping an eye on the Captain. She didn't know what to expect.

"What is this?" she asked once she skimmed through the contents of the documents, "may I ask, what did Juugo do wrong?"

The Captain sighed, "he killed Tamanaki Milla, Shiho and more recently, Amaterasu Ni Aki-"

"Wait," she interrupted the Captain, despite knowing that it was rude, "Aki is dead? When? And… he was the one who killed those two other girls?"

It felt like they were throwing paperwork to her, throwing paperwork that had been accumulating over the time, and just decided to dump it all on her desk, with hopes that she would take it all in easily. Ok, maybe she would take in paperwork easily, but not the fact that three of her students had been killed by another student.

"I'm sorry for the late notification," the Captain said, "we just confirmed her identity last night. More over, we need Juugo's details urgently, he had gone missing, and we have no idea where to find him."

Tsunade didn't know how to react to the sudden realization that the top biology student was an evil person, she had always thought that top students spend their time locked in their room studying whatever shit the teacher threw at them. But no, apparently, some spent their time killing.

"Shizune," she called loudly, "can you pass this ANBU Captain Juugo's particulars?"

* * *

Kurenai was handing out the latest test they had on further trigonometry, everyone passed except for one individual. Guess who?

"Uzumaki Naruto," Kurenai said, as she slammed his test papers on to his table, "explain this."

Naruto looked at the red stained paper and gasped, "you expect me to pass _Further_ Trig when I can't even pass _Simple_ Trig? You should be the one explaining to me!"

Kurenai frowned, "Hinata chan has been a big help to you, I undertsand that she had covered five chapters with you the other day. I was extremely pleased, please don't let her effort go to waste," she when to the board, "define the secant, cosecant and the cotangent functions for me."

Those words sounded vaguely familiar to Naruto.

"Oh yes," he thought, "I heard about them before…"

"_Really Naruto, this is the last time I'm telling you. What a drag. You have to take the reciprocal of the three trigonometric functions to define secant, cosecant and cotangent."_

"Trignometric functions," he told himself, "what's that? Damn, cosine, sine and tangent."

"Well?" Kurenai asked Naruto after his long pause.

Naruto stood up, walked over to the board and wrote down the definitions of the trigonometric functions.

Kurenai took a look at it and nodded her head slowly, "you see, Naruto. You can do it, it's just that you're not interested in Math. Only with interest, can you see development."

"But, Kurenai Sen-sei, some things are just inevitable," Sai thought.

* * *

_This Morning_

"_Hello?" Sasuke answered the house phone._

"_Hello," the person, mostly likely a woman, answered, "is this Sai?"_

"_Umm, no, wait for a sec," he dialed Sai extension to divert the call of his room, which was just next door. _

_When he heard Sai picking up the phone, Sasuke couldn't help but listen in on the conversation. Why would a grown woman call for Sai? He wanted to know. _

_Skillfully, he blocked the speaker with his free hand to prevent the sound of the wind from giving away his presence during the conversation. _

"_Yes?" Sai asked, "who is this?"_

"_I'm calling from Harujiku Hospital," she said, "the doctor wants me to inform you that he has found a brain donor for you."_

"_A brain donor?" Sai repeated. _

"_Yes," she replied, "he says that the main reason why your feelings and emotions are not working up is because of a malfunction of your brain. It might affect some other activities, so the only way is to receive surgery for a transplant. Though the consequences are huge, but it's all for your livelihood."_

_Sai paused for a while, "what are the consequences?"_

"_Well," the nurse thought for a while, "you might lose everything single memory you've accumulated from young, you might not remember any body that had been part of your life, you wouldn't possess any of your current knowledge as well as your abilities, like… er… drawing."_

"_You might as well say I'll lose everything," Sai muttered, "isn't there another option like therapy?"_

"_I'm afraid not."_

"_Then I'll have to think about it."_

* * *

They pushed the door open and ran in armed with weapons as if they were about it face a radioactive spider. It wasn't a big apartment, no rooms, kitchenette, bed on the floor in front of the dining table. You could see everything when you enter, there was no hiding. Then, there was the blood. It was splattered across the walls and around the ceiling. On the table in the corner of the room, there was a few bags of blood kept in ziplock bags and neatly lined in an open box. In one of the drawers of the table were smaller bags of hair. There was a bag of brown hair, blond hair, green hair and purple hair.

"Here," one of the forensic scientist said, "this bag," he pointed to the brown hairs, "contains Tamanaki's hair, this one, the green one, is Amaterasu's. And the blond one is Shiho's. But what about the purple one?"

"Look at this," another investigator said, "he pulled off a piece of white cloth that covered something, and it revealed a machinery that one no in the room has seen before, "what is this?"

* * *

"Karin," Temari ran up to Karin, who was exiting the school, "hey."

Karin stopped and faced Temari, with an expectant expression on her face, "he wasn't my boyfriend."

"Ok, sorry," Temari said, "you guys sure seem like you're… going out, so, yeah, sorry."

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"About the news…" Temari didn't know how she should start, "what-"

"Forget it," Karin said, "I don't want to talk about it."

Temari nodded, Karin was clearly pissed and she didn't want to get a dose of that. So, she just backed off and walked away.

"Hey Temari," Karin called out to her before she went too far, "don't tell anyone about him."

Strangely, she needed to keep him to herself, make him her dirty little secret. She didn't want any other girl knowing about Suigetsu and she didn't want the reporter to announce sightings of Hozuki Suigetsu with a hoard of girls.

Yes, no matter how much she tried to deny it, the truth is inevitable- she had a _thing_ for him.

A freaking _thing_.

THING!

It's funny how someone can generate feelings for another in such a short period of time, with minimal interaction.

It could be a crush.

Or infatuation.

Or some nasty love bug.

Or a fucking… _cupid_.

The last two don't exist, highly impossible. But she doesn't want to admit it was an infatuation of a crush, isn't that like _her_ fault? A love bug or a cupid would be better, then it wouldn't be her fault, she could blame someone else.

So she'll probably be like: 'Hey Suigetsu, I like you- wait, hold it there- it's not my fault, it's the bloody bugs fault, oh yeah! It totally bit me and now I love you. Blame the bug, squish the bug, punch the bug, kick the bug, kill it and fucking kiss me.'

"Fucking kiss me?" she asked herself, "god, I was really in character back there."

"Psst! Karin!"

She turned and at the exact spot, leaning against the oak tree, was Suigetsu, he was waving at her and smiling that toothy, sharp teeth grinned.

To her, it was so revoltingly charming.

Briskly, she walked towards him and smacked him on the arm, "they're all looking for me now. They must think you're my sex slave of something! The whole world thinks you've been trafficked!"

"Sex slave?" he repeated, "how much did you pay?"

"Oh shut up dick face," she said, noticing the guy next to him, "aren't you that…"

"He's Juugo, the guy who attacked us," Suigetsu said as he patted Juugo's hoodie covered head, "really nice guy, he goes around killing pretty girls as a past time."

Karin took a step away from Juugo, "whatever," she said like she didn't care, "why are you hanging out with him?"

"He's the third keeper," Suigetsu explained, "he was originally from Konoha South, Orochimaru's going to send him there."

She ignored him, "why are you here? People might see you, if you haven't realized, the hoodie isn't working well."

"Just wanted to remind you, about your abilities," he lowered his voice when he said the last word, "since you're a girl and all, I guess you need you special talents more than ever."

"Oh shut up," she smacked him hard on the arm, "you're not any better, the fact the Orochimaru caught you first goes to show how easily you can be held captive."

* * *

"Yes, you were looking for me, Principal?" Shikamaru stuck his head into her office.

She dropped the pen she held between her lips when she heard him enter and sat up neatly and pleasantly like how a principal ought to.

"Well, I want to inform you about something that might change the course of your life," she held up an envelope from her table and waved it around, "I just got this today. Apparently, some people have noticed your talent."

Just as Shikamaru was about to take a seat on the chair in front of Tsunade, Shizune entered abruptly and interrupted the both of them.

"I'm sorry Principal Tsunade," she said, "but the Captain just called and he wants you to report to the investigation site now. He needs you to identify something that was found in Juugo's house."

Tsunade nodded and looked at Shikamaru, "I need to tell you this urgently to prepare you."

She glanced at her watch, "do you mind following me? To Juugo's house?"

Shikamaru wanted to groan the word 'troublesome' but the mere thought of entering a serial killer's house sort of sparked his interest. How many boys his age have actually witness the stronghold of a murderer- and not be already dead? Very few boys.

"Sure," he muttered, "I don't mind."

* * *

"Tell me everything," Ino squealed, "this is so interesting, especially since it's _Hinata_!"

The waiter came over before Hinata could say anything, "three strawberry and two peppermint. Here you go. Enjoy."

They waited till the waiter was out of earshot before Hinata continued. She is very personal when it comes to these things.

"Ok…" Sakura was practically jumping off her seat, "I'm waiting!"

Hinata tried to hide behind her tiny glass of strawberry milkshake, "it's nothing really."

"Since it's nothing," Temari said as she took a gigantic sip of peppermint smoothie, "then get on with it."

Hinata sighed seeing her desperate attempts to avoid it isn't working, "well, remember how Kurenai said something along the lines of having interest and then seeing development or something like that?"

Tenten straightened after what Hinata said, "oh my, I can totally see where this is going. And? And?"

"Well," she squiggled her index fingers around each other, "he kind of took that to heart. And, he confessed to me…"

Ino stood up and spun around, "finally! Finally!"

"… that Shikamaru was a better tutor," she ended her sentence with a deep sigh of disappointment.

Ino stopped her little jig half way and looked at Hinata with the most astonished eyes, "seriously?"

"Don't lie," Sakura pointed a finger at Hinata, "don't you dare lie. I know he is dense, but not this dense!" She turned to Temari, "you didn't tell me that Shikamaru tutored Naruto before."

Temari opened her mouth like she was aghast that everyone was pointing the finger at her, "it was a crash course! I didn't think it would be that helpful!"

"God, I'm going to knock some sense into him the next time I see him," Tenten said, drumming her fingers on the table, "oh, I can totally kick the ball like really hard and really off and hit him right _there_!"

"No," Hinata said almost immediately.

"That douche."

"Faggot."

"I'm going to buy a Naruto voodoo doll and stick needles _there_."

"Shikamaru is so not going to tutor him anymore. And then, he'll come crawling back to you because he can't pass his Trig and you'll steadily reject him and turn away and caress his face with you long, raven hair…"

Sakura shook on her seat, like a shiver had passed through her spine, "that totally sounded like something Ino would say, but more intellectual."

"Bitch."

* * *

Sasuke knocked the door and entered Sai's room without his permission. Sai happened to be painting, again.

"Sai," Sasuke came up to his urgently, not taking the time to have a gander at the different art works around the room, "when were you going to tell us? About the donor?"

Sai stopped painting for a minute before resuming, "eavesdropping is a bad habit."

"To hell with habits," Sasuke said, standing in front of Sai, behind his easel, "why aren't you accepting it?"

"Don't tell her."

"Tell wh-" Sasuke stopped, he knew what Sai meant, "because of _her_? You don't even know weather you truly like her or not, you don't even feel it at all! And you're telling me you're not taking the surgery because of _her_? You know what Sai? That was so cliché of you."

Sai grinned, "thank you. Always wanted to be cliché."

"Stop painting," Sasuke said, "stop it."

Sai obeyed and looked at Sasuke for the first time since he entered the room, "yes? May I help you?"

"Take the surgery."

Sai smiled, "fuck no."

* * *

They were given gloves to put on before entering the area. The Captain was waiting for them at the doorstep and welcomed them in with open arms as if it were his home.

"Brace yourself," he told them before he pulled the tape up for them to enter, "this room smells like a woman when she's having her period."

Shikamaru made a face, "this is more trouble than it should be."

The Captain noticed him for the first time, "and you must be Shikamaru, never thought I'd see you in person. I guess you should the proper procedure in a crime scene, well, you are a genius after all, maybe you can tell us what this is."

He beckoned for them to enter the stench filled house/ room, and without any further delay, lead them towards an item covered by white cloth. They didn't have much time to 'admire' the surroundings, but a quick glance gave them enough knowledge of the situation- a murderous murderer used to take shelter here.

The Captain pulled off the white cloth once Tsunade and Shikamaru were next to him, it revealed a metallic machine with gears and nails all over, made it seem like a worn version of Iron Man.

"I just want to say," Tsunade said a few minutes after she saw the contraption, "I had nothing to do with this."

The Captain looked over to Shikamaru bearing some glint of hope on his face, "I don't think you have anything to do with this."

Shikamaru recognized a few parts of the machine and understood why some gears were positioned the way they were. There were levers and buttons and springs all around the machine, internal and external. It might look complicated and nonsensical to most people, but to Shikamaru it was one of the most simple contraption.

He reached out his hand for a lever which looked like the main way to operate the machine and theoretically, he knew it was the main and primary way of starting it up.

The he remembered the procedure the Captain 'assumed' he knew and stopped.

"May I?" he asked before inching any closer.

He could tell the Captain was hesitant to grant him permission. Surely he was wondering if he should seek professional help instead of relying on some high school freshman, which so happens to be a genius. Either way, Shikamaru felt, it's the same. There was no use pondering his options.

"Go ahead then," the Captain finally said.

Shikamaru nodded and proceeded to pull down the rusted lever and as he did so, he felt mild vibrations of the gears and the springs and the twisting of arms.

Normally, one would ignore such vibrations. But Shikamaru knew that these vibrations were the only way he had to identify the internal network of the machine.

As each vibration propagated through his fingers sending impulses to his brain, he is consciously measuring the magnitude of the vibration. If it were low, the shifting of the gears would be further away, if it were vigorous, the working gears would have been nearer to him.

Shikamaru pictured the inner workings of the machine, the number of turns each gear made, the diameter of each gear, the length of each rod, the distance of each arm etc.

It might seem humanly impossible, but Shikamaru did it.

In no time he identified a complex system of tubes inside the machine and traced the two endings of the tubes. From there, he located the openings in which substances involve would be poured into.

"I need a cotton bud," he told the Captain.

The Captain realized he was on to something and demanded one of his men to urgent over with a box of cotton buds when all Shikamaru need was one.

"Here," he obediently handed it over to the boy genius, "what do you have so far?"

Shikamaru swiped the end of the cotton bud along the mouth of the tube and collected what seemed to be the leftovers of the sample used.

"Blood," he said as he scrutinized the stains on the white cotton, "someone's blood was poured into this tube and it underwent many many chemical reactions… Filtration, purification, distillation… it's as if this machine is used to sieve out something… but what exactly?"

The Captain took the cotton bud from Shikamaru and passed it to a nearby forensic scientist, "the real question is: Whose blood is it?"

* * *

"This is stupid," Karin muttered, "if anyone sees me like this with two douche bags, I swear-," she paused, "where am I?"

Suigetsu smirked and tapped her shoulder lightly. Thank god she couldn't tell if it was him or Juugo who tapped her, she might react too dramatically, if you get what I mean.

"Oh shut up," Suigetsu said, "even Juugo agrees this would be good for you. Just pretend this is some sort of preparation for an exam or test or any shit you study for. Now tell me-"

"I don't study at all," Karin interrupted him.

Juugo nodded, "does she look like the kind?"

Suigetsu and Juugo looked at her for a while and they both came to a consensus that Karin didn't look like the type who would study. Those who actually did study for tests normally wouldn't get involved with people like them. More over, studious students wouldn't join a modeling club just to learn how to walk.

"Anyways," Suigetsu returned to their original topic, "how many people do you see here?"

Karin looked around in frantic attempts, "how the hell am I suppose to know? I can't see a freaking thing with this cloth over my eyes!"

"Fine," Juugo said, "how many people do you _sense_ here?"

"Sense?" Karin asked then sighed, "ok, but please tell me where I am first. Please."

Suigetsu growled, "since you said please. You're in a mall, the one near your school."

"WHA-"

Juugo clasped his hand over Karin's mouth before she could finish screaming, "you're so ironic."

She was struggling to get the stupid cloth off her face before anyone- at least anyone she knew- saw her. But Juugo held her hands too tightly, her yanking and pushing would be like an ant's bite to him.

"Tell me how many people you sense," Suigetsu said, "then we'll let you go."

At the moment, she couldn't understand why she even moderately liked him.

"Karin," Suigetsu started to tap his feet, "I'm waiting."

Karin huffed in annoyance and took in a breath of air. She didn't even know how to 'start up' her abilities. Was there a push button? Or does she have to tilt her head in a certain angle to achieve Chakra sighting powers? Does her adrenaline need to be secreted? Maybe it's excitement? She doesn't know.

"God," Karin thought, "this is tough."

"Anytime now," Suigetsu muttered, looking at his invisible wrist watch.

She ignored him and continued thinking of weird things she could do to start her ability up. But he had to distract her again.

"Looks like your friends are here too," Suigetsu whispered into her ear softly, "that sandy blond girl we saw yesterday? Remember? The Kazekage's daughter?"

Karin couldn't process whatever he had just said, apparently, he's whispering had adverse effects on her. Oh her poor soul. Just the mere bouncing of his breath against her skin is strong enough to make her coon and pee in her pants. She felt a tingling sensation rising from her feet and spreading through her body, as if a thousand and one ants were having a race within her. Suddenly, she could see specks of blue here and there, even though the cloth was still over her head. With each breath, she smells a new scent, and a hue of blue would appear before her eyes in the form of a human.

Was her powers active now? All she needed to do was to count the number of blue specs?

"18?" Karin said softly, "are there 18?"

Juugo loosened his grip and she took the opportunity to pull herself away from him.

Suigetsu eyed Juugo, "she's right."

Juugo did a visual count himself, there weren't many people, the figure could have easily been eighteen.

"Am I right?" Karin asked looking around, until she spotted Ino and gang, it made her turn away, "you didn't tell me they were here!" She hissed at the two men next to her.

"He did tell you," Juugo said, "but you were too busy being a girl."

"What was that supposed to mean?" Karin snapped.

Suigetsu shook his head, "was that suppose to be an insult to me? Or her?"

Juugo rolled his eyes, "never mind," he spotted several security guards patrolling the area and nudged Suigetsu, "we have to go."

Karin heard what Juugo said and shot him a look, "so you're leaving me here? Alone?"

"Karin!"

Karin cringed at the sound of Ino's pitchy voice calling her name, she tried using her powers to sense their distance- if Ino was brisk walking towards her, or running. But apparently, she lost all forms of… she didn't even know what she lost. All she could say was that she can't see the bluish hues around any more.

"With them?" Karin asked with a pitiful voice, "this might sound weird, but I want to come with you… you guys."

Suigetsu moved his mouth around like he was chewing gum, "yeah," he said, "that did sound pretty weird. But then again, you're weird…"

Karin was about to slap him hard but Juugo stopped her seeing that the security guards were nearing them.

"Karin's coming with us."

"Seriously?" Suigetsu asked.

Juugo nodded, "they caught the two of you on camera remember? Although they didn't catch Karin's face, but exactly how many girls have blaring red hair like her?" Juugo beckoned over to the guard's direction, "they probably notice her hair and you… and me."

"Karin!"

She could feel a tremble in her hands, Karin was so tempted to turn around and shout 'shut up you doof bag' to Ino, but that would only attract more attention to the three of them. And the last thing they need was attention.

Never in her life hard she ever dreamt to standing between two wanted men. One kidnapped teenage boy and one psychotic teenage murderer. If that's the case, what was she? The wanted red head? The Chakra sensing bitch? She wanted a cool name too.

"Yeah," Karin agreed with Juugo, "your 'disguises' aren't exactly working."

Suigetsu grumbled something under his breath before agreeing with the two company he had, "fine."

They rushed out. As they did, the guards started chasing them all the way out, only to find that the three kids disappeared.

"Where are they?" one guard asked the other, "they were just a few feet away from us, they couldn't have gone too far."

* * *

"Sir," the forensic scientist brought the cotton bud back, "this blood belongs to neither of the three known victims."

"What?" the Captain reacted more dramatically than usual, "you mean he killed more than those three girls?"

The scientist thought for a while, "well, we had four hair samples didn't we?"

"Four?" Tsunade asked, "last time I counted, only three girls were killed. Who's blood is it?"

The scientist took out a piece of paper from his pocket and read the tiny words, "a girl by the name of Mitarashi Anko? Do you know her?"

"She can't be dead," Shikamaru denied it, "I saw her this morning, she's my classmate."

"What time did you see her?" the Captain asked.

Shikamaru paused to think for a while, "at around eight I guess."

The Captain jerked a little, "we only broke into the house at twelve. That's four hours later. Who know what could have happened in between."

Everyone was silence, trying to avoid the horrid thought of Anko's might- be fate.

"Call her family," the Captain said.

"She doesn't have one," Shikamaru interrupted before any action of carried out, "she's doesn't have a cell phone either… but I know who I can contact."

* * *

"Karin ignored me," Ino said, as they walked into their car, "she ignored me! I know she hates me and all, but she ignored me? In public!"

Tenten fastened her seat belt and looked at Ino, "isn't that what people do to people they don't like? Ignore them?"

"But still…" Ino argued.

The engines started up as Sakura took the pedal down, sending the car into the streets.

Temari turned to look at the three girls behind and watched Ino with the most serious eyes, "maybe she wasn't Karin."

"She is," Ino insisted, "I know her better than any of you do. I bet those two guys are her evil minions."

"Stop whining," Sakura muttered, "if anyone should be whining, it should be poor Hinata. And her horrible eyes."

"What?" Temari turned to Sakura, "her eyes aren't horrible."

Sakura stopped the car when the red light flashed, "well, they were horrible enough to make her like such an ugly douche. Think about it, he is so dense."

"Oh shut up Sakura," Tenten said, "Hinata is not stupid, neither are her eyes. It's not her fault, he probably thinks she's going out with Neji… that's why he's too afraid to make his advances."

"Neji?" Hinata asked.

Ino nodded, looking at her glossy pink nails shine under the glory of the blistering sun, "to outsiders, they might think you guys are going out, cause he's always meeting your dad and all."

"Seriously? He's my freaking cousin!" Hinata exclaimed, "I'm not the least bit attracted to him. Neji should get a girlfriend, all his brothers have girlfriends except him."

"Shino doesn't have a girlfriend," Temari said, "don't be ridiculous."

"He's going to marry a bug anyway," Hinata snapped, "so who cares."

By then, their car have been safely parked in the confinements of the garage and the girls, upon hearing Hinata's last comment, spun towards her in utter shock.

"That was probably the first mean thing you said," Ino exclaimed, "in like decades! Brilliant!"

They entered the house and caught Pochi feasting on remains of last night's dinner while watching some soap opera on the telly.

"Whoa," Sakura said once she saw the little thing intently watching the drama, "he figured to do that himself? Must take after his father."

"His father?" Temari said sitting down on the sofa, trying to watch the soap opera, "wait- no- hold it-" she composed herself before continuing, "Shikamaru is so not his father."

"Biologically, you're right. But didn't you guys adopt it or something?" Sakura asked in a smuggish way.

Temari stood up from the sofa that she had just settled into a few seconds ago, "we found him, and we, I repeat, we don't _parent_ him- if that's the word."

"You should move in with him," Sakura teased, "when the parents live separately, it's not healthy for the child."

Temari gave up and cast a look of utter contempt at Pochi as it curled up in her lap.

The other girls had returned into the room to continue with the 'busy' lives. And busy, what is implied would be watching manicured nails dry, playing online war games and lying there thinking about some dense boy.

That was when it dawn on Temari that recently, their lives have been bombarded with men, boys, males, people of the opposite sex, humans with that thing dangling from between their legs, guys.

What's happening?

These are horrible symptoms she had seen in mostly every girl once they enter high school. She had seen it in movies, in her school and unfortunately, found herself show it.

Are high school girl's lives really built on men?

They think about them.

They talk about them.

They fantasize about them.

They want them.

They see them.

Drool at them.

Watch them.

Die for them (yes that actually happens).

Touch them- then giggle about it after wards.

But the most tragic symptom any girl could ever have: wanting- yes wanting- to totally screw, copulate, intercourse, blah blah blah, with them.

Yes worst symptoms of all: Dreams of endless fucking.

Thank everyone she hasn't reached that stage, not yet at least. From what she gather, all girl would experience that stage. It depends on when they experience it.

To experience it after a marriage to a man and to want to fuck that man is alright. Perfectly safe.

But to be married and to want to fuck another man… haha… that bitch is in deep shit.

So at least she isn't having dreams of screwing Shikamaru, not yet. She don't think she would. Their relationship (if what ever they have is counted as one) wouldn't last long.

It's high school! What do you expect?

Stuff like 'I would love you till the end of my life' never happens in real life and if it does… haha… he's lying.

Because, the thing is, nothing lasts forever.

One day she would get tired of Shikamaru.

He would get tired of her.

They would go their separate ways thinking why, oh why, had they been so dumb to have had been with each other.

But she hopes, dearly, that that day would never come.

"And this is one of those times where I start to argue and contradict myself," she thought, "I'm screwed. Effects of hanging out with a genius too much. I think too much."

* * *

The phone rang, it hardly ever did. But this time someone had nothing better to do than to call him. He figured it might be one of those low life business men who make a profit by making annoying phone calls. Haha. Brilliant ideal job, but people so want to strangle you.

And, partly why he wanted to strangle the caller: the fucker woke him up from his nice, rare, sleep.

"Hello?" he said in his most controlled tone, "who is this?"

"Kakashi sensei?"

Kakashi straightened up, "Shikamaru? Why are you calling me?"

"Do you know where Anko is?" Shikamaru ignored his question and when straight to the point.

Kakashi paused for a moment. When people with a life did call him, part of their question would comprise of finding the location of someone they think he might know. And his usual answer would be 'no haven't seen him/ her around, bye.' And he'd slam the phone down before the faggot would ask for possible locations.

But this time, it's different.

"Yes."

He could tell Shikamaru was relief, he hear a soft 'thank god' from the other end.

"Where is she?" another voice came in, "I'm an ANBU Captain, may to know her whereabouts, her acquaintances, the activity she is currently engaged in and the purpose of the activity."

Kakashi was stumped, he knew the answer to all those questions, but was it necessary? He really want to return to his deep slumber.

"Answer me Hatake Kakashi," the Captain pushed him, "I have the rights to take you in if you don't comply."

"Er…" he managed to push out of his mouth, "she's at my house, she's with me, and she's engaged in…"

"In?" the Captain was being seemingly impatient.

Kakashi hesitated for a while before reply, "sex. And the purpose… do you really need to know?"

The Captain sighed, "she isn't underage or anything is she?"

"No."

"Ok then, thank you for your cooperation and happy fucking."

* * *

Their original plan was to drop her at her door and leave without her making any noise. Apparently, her need for sleep ruined the whole plan.

"She's a heavy sleeper," Juugo said after attempts to shake her awake, "the meter is running we have to get her up."

"You bring her up," Suigetsu said, "you're stronger."

Juugo looked at Karin and shook his head, "if you leave me alone with her… I might…" he looked at the cab driver who pretended not to be eavesdropping.

"Fine," Suigetsu said, "I'll follow you."

The driver intervened, "it's not easy getting a cab here, cars hardly drive by."

It's true, they would only see a car come by every fifteen minutes, it's not worth the wait.

"Why must she live in such a secluded place?" Suigetsu asked himself before pulling out of the cab with Karin in his arms, "is this your little plan? Cause you _think_ I like her?"

"No," Juugo replied coolly, "I'm staying here to keep the driver company."

Suigetsu sighed, he wouldn't want to hit Juugo's bad side.

"I hate this," he took Karin into the building and tried to jab the lift button with his elbows only to succeed after the sixth attempt.

He went into the lift with Karin flunged over his shoulder, one hand curled around her waist. Before the doors of the lift could close, someone pressed the button again causing the doors to open. A middle aged housewife entered and gave Suigetsu a hard look. Before deciding to trust him and take the same lift.

It was quiet inside the lift. He could tell the woman was trying to restrain herself from looking at the two of them. Moreover, she was desperately trying not to stare at Suigetsu's face, trying to figure out how he might look like under those sunglasses.

"If this woman finds out who I am," Suigetsu thought, "I have to kill her."

"Sorry," the woman interrupted his thoughts, "but is that Miss Karin?"

"Miss?" he thought, laughing inwardly, "she even qualifies as a miss?"

"Er… yes," he couldn't lie, it was so obvious it was her.

The doors of the lift opened and he stepped out without saying another word to the lady.

Suigetsu walked towards the door of her apartment, carefully avoiding sandals being strewn all over the place, overflowing rubbish bins and their rubbish.

He noticed the people here have a habit of securing their houses with loads and loads of pad locks and drawing the curtains even though no one would be foolish enough to peek into the house.

"She lives here?" he thought, "oh man, now I can't leave her lying at her doorstep. Damn it."

When he reached her door, the first thing he noticed were the shoes. There weren't any. The door was equally locked up as the others and the windows had their curtains drawn completely.

Why?

He fiddled around her shirt pockets trying to find her key, when later he found out, they were in the pocket of her pants.

It took him a totally of ten minutes to unlock the series of padlocks and get Karin in without slamming her against the walls of the narrow door.

His first impression of her house- totally different from the outside. It was as if a princess had lived here. And by princess, he didn't mean Karin.

There was only one room in the house, which was her bedroom. It was just as pretty as her living room only much smaller.

"White bed," Suigetsu thought, "simple, but what happens when her period comes?"

He laughed silently.

"Ok Karin," he shook her on his shoulders, "here's your house, here's your room and here's your bed! Whoopee! Now I'm transferring you over. This might hurt."

He carelessly flopped her onto her bed and made sure she was sleeping at the center, cause if she wasn't… she might fall. But really, since when had he ever cared about her injuring herself?

Haha, funny joke.

As he walked out of her room, he noticed how the apartment lacked a heater and how it is freaking cold. Then he thought of her.

"She might catch a cold."

He returned to her room and pulled her sheets over her, carefully covering her body and in a way, tucking her in.

And again, he exited the room, only to find that the sun was setting and it's rays are stubbornly entering the apartment through it's glass windows.

Suigetsu found himself back in her room, drawing the curtains for her, making the room fall into semi- darkness.

This time, he looked around and made sure everything was fine before he left the room for the last time, not coming back.

But as he did so, when he was close to the main door, he remembered that her glasses were still on.

Suigetsu literally slapped himself and went into the room to pull those bastards off.

So, once again, the forgetful fish head entered the now semi dark room, stood beside Karin's white bed and paused for a moment.

"Maybe I should forget it…" he thought, "that would be mean… wait, I'm supposed to be mean. What am I doing?"

He sighed and out stretched his arms to reach of the pair of black framed specs, trying not to go too close, yet not jab her eyes at the same time. Cause although he really wanted to jab those tiny creatures, she might in turn jab his back for revenge. And women are so uptight and personal when it comes to vengeance.

_Vengeance is mine!_ He imagined her saying in a creepy manner. And curling out her fist finger by finger like how all the evil characters in cartoons do.

Quickly, he pulled off her specs and placed them on her bedside table. Surprisingly and with utmost cliché- ness, someone with such a menacing personality can look so good when silenced.

"Oh my fish," he told himself, "what am I thinking?" Then he remembered Juugo, waiting patiently downstairs for him, trying his earnest not to strangle the driver, "snap out of it Suigetsu, it's unhealthy. Unhealthy."

Suigetsu walked out of the room briskly and headed for the main door before something else stopped him- the phone.

It rang a very typical ring tone, one that you would hear in about every house you've been to. It wasn't suppose to scare him, especially since it's so often heard and more importantly, phones ringing are supposed to be unexpected. You can't expect a phone to go 'hey I'm going to ring, brace yourself' and then ring. That's ludicrous. And to think Suigetsu had gotten used to that sudden outburst of ringing.

But on the other hand, the apartment was spooky and quiet, too quiet. It sort of scared you in a silent, haunting way. Especially after going through that horrid corridor, you'd believe ghosts take homage in places like these.

"Hello?" he decided he should take initiative to answer the damn phone, for one thing, he was the only conscious person around.

"Hello?"

The voice sounded like a girl, well of course it is a girl. This person has a freaking high nasal.

"Yes, may I help you?" he tried to be as polite as possible, cause it wasn't his friend he's talking to, it's Karin's.

But her friend might probably figure out by now that the person she was talking to isn't Karin. And if she thinks he's Karin, oh, Suigetsu would go over and bash her up.

"Is this Karin's apartment?" the caller asked.

"Err… yes."

"Well, who are you then?" there was a millisecond pause, "oh, unless you're her secret…" there was a short giggle, "_boyfriend_...?" and another chain of giggles.

"Boyfriend?" he said is as if it were a foreign word, "er… well… you see…"

As half of his brain is trying to compose an explanation for his attendance in her apartment, the other half is busy screaming like an insane crab.

"She has a freaking boyfriend?" the other half yelled, "are you kidding? What the fuck..."

"Are you? Are you? Are you? Are you? Are you? Are you?" the insane girl chanted, "Are you? Are you? Are you? Are you? Are you? Are you?"

It made his ears bleed.

"Let ruin a little fragment of Karin's life, shall we?" he asked himself evilly, doing that weird finger curling thing at the same time.

"Well yes I am," he said all too proudly.

Normal when a girl heard that her friend has a boyfriend, it's supposed to be a good thing. They would mostly go 'OMG, I am so happy for you!' or made less dramatically, 'congrats'.

But this bitch had to totally ruin the whole theory.

"What do you see in her?" she asked like how a bimbo would react to 1+1=2.

"Are you really Karin's friend?" he wanted to ask the caller.

But he did not.

Although he wasn't any good of a friend himself. But he knew the basis of being a friend and this, what this woman had just done, shows that she has weak foundation. A person like her would only find friends who are partially blind, or deaf. And in Karin's case, myopic.

"Hikari," another voice came in, "you're a fucking bitch."

Suigetsu took long strides to her room and found Karin leaning against the post of her white bed with the phone next to her.

Apparently, she had been listening.

A plus for her- she caught a fucked up friend in action.

A minus for Hikari- she was caught as a fucked up friend in action.

A minus for Suigetsu- he was caught lying to be the boyfriend of the girl who caught her fucked up friend in action.

And the whole sum equals to… a negative number. Oh… this must be bad, at least more bad than good.

Suigetsu put down the phone on the apologizing Hikari and leaned against the frame of her bedroom door, "so you have a boyfriend?"

"Why?" she asked not looking in his direction, "are you jealous?"

"Shouldn't be."

"_Shouldn't_? You do know what that implies do you?"

He smirked, "I flunked English, never liked it," he paused and looked at her for a moment, "well, well, well look at the blooming time. I'm eminently tardy. I certainly mustn't keep my acquaintance lingering for my rejoinder. Cheerio!"

Suigetsu left before she could question him further. She bit the walls of her mouth wondering if he really did suck at his English.

But another thought dawned on her: how the hell did she get up here?

* * *

Shikamaru finally got it, he finally understood what the machine was built to do.

"This machine is used for DNA extraction," he explained to the scientist and the Captain present, "the filtration processes are used to filter off the nutrients in the blood like glucose, amino acids etc. Then there are several intricate processes involved that comprises of suction, deamination and detoxification. These processes enable even more fine and micro components of the blood to be filtered off, leaving the strands of DNA float in a puddle of hemoglobin," he pointed to a region of the machine which is colored blue, "here, the left overs undergo even more complicated processes, resulting with the end product beginning the most dominant chromosome on the DNA strand. And in the case of all these girls, their special talents are their most dominant chromosomes."

The scientists present nodded as Shikamaru explained, agreeing to his elaborate explanation and theories. Some were even embarrassed a young boy with no experience in the field of forensic science or engineering could crack a case none of them could grasp properly.

"Good job Shikamaru," Tsuande patted his shoulder proudly, "you did a whole speech without saying the 'troublesome' word."

He rolled his eyes, "troublesome. Can I go back now? I'm getting rather exhausted."

The Captain nodded, "he should be mentally exhausted by now, especially since he used up much of his brain power."

"Agreed," Shikamaru sighed, "oh and one thing, I find the press rather troublesome, so if you don't mind, give the credit to one of your lowest achieving staff member. Thanks."

Shikamaru walked out of the apartment coolly leaving the Captain stumped and lost for words.

"How did he know about the press?" he asked Tsuande.

Tsuande shrugged, "well he is a genius after all and also," she lowered her voice, "it was damn obvious. I mean, Konoha Police Force tells everything to the press, don't they?"

Then something hit her, something she forgot to tell Shikamaru.

"Hey Shikamaru," she called running out of the apartment, "hey, wait up!"

* * *

Tenten stood behind Hinata and watched what she was doing on the computer. Hinata hardly ever uses the computer, she only does when there are online assignments and tests. But Tenten don't recall being given any to do.

"Hinata."

Hinata literally hopped on her seat and immediately spun around in her roller chair to face Tenten.

"You scared me," she said.

"What are you doing?" Tenten asked trying to have a peek.

Hinata didn't seem to need any privacy, she moved away and allowed Tenten to view anything on the screen.

"I'm trying to write the story you said I should write," Hinata said, "never thought it'd be this hard."

Tenten nodded, impressed, "you really took my words seriously, eh?"

"So?" Hinata asked after a while, "how is it?"

"Your story?" Tenten said, "um… well, it's pretty ok I guess. Not all authors start of great anyways."

"You think so?" Hinata asked with much disbelief.

Tenten jolted, "maybe if you complete this quickly and publish it and it becomes a hit, maybe, maybe, maybe," she started to stutter, "maybe you might get famous and catch Naruto's attention!"

Hinata raised a brow, "go to that extent to get a certain guy's affection? I don't think so." She paused and rethinks the situation.

While she was at it, Tenten silently sits on the near by bed and watch Hinata's face morph into a vessel of sheer jubilance. Bouncing up and down in a chaotic manner, Tenten's face started to morph just the same, but hers into a wide grin.

"I think I know what you're think about," Tenten said, "you're reassessing the situation aren't you? And now you'd be like: Yeah, it is pretty cool."

Hinata cast Tenten a defeated look and nodded.

She did a air punch and jumped off the bed, "I was right, hah. Just imagine Hinata, the news lady going 'and today in breaking news, a teenage girl going by the name of Hyuga Hinata has published a novel that took the world by storm. It depicts the lives of five High School girls and their journal through adulthood and blah blah blah'," Tenten paused and looked Hinata, "can you see it? You're going to be famous!"

Hinata slowly slid down her chair, the pressure of becoming famous was getting to her already! She was trying to contain it, but she can't. Tell me, which human doesn't desire fame?

"Imagine…"

"Oh stop it," Hinata said, "it's all really unrealistic. And besides, if this is novel really depicts the life of the five of us, you better start making you life a whole lot more interesting, cause with what I have right now, your life sucks."

Tenten took a step back, "whoa," she said with a smile on her face, "that hurt."

"It should," Hinata said firmly, "after all, nothing crazy is happening to you."

Before Tenten could say another word to retort Hinata's statement, the phone rang.

Hinata picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hinata?" the caller, which happens to be Sasuke, asked, "is that you?"

"Oh yeah," Hinata felt this jolt of lightning in her, like it was a bolt of inspiration, "why? Are you looking for Sakura?"

"Yes he is."

"Sai?" Hinata asked, seeing that someone else had joined into the conversation, "is that you?"

"Hi Hinata," Sai greeted in the most chirpy voice, "Sasuke, we need to talk."

"About what?" Sasuke asked, playing the fool, "oh, is it about the whole b-"

The line mysteriously disconnected. It left poor, poor Hinata dying from an overdose of curiosity.

Slowly and with utmost forlorn, she placed the phone back into it's socket and stamped her feet on the ground like an impatient, angry child.

"What happened?" Tenten, who had been silent through out the conversation, asked.

"Well, Sasuke and Sai aren't telling us something," Hinata said, her lips in a slight pout.

And again, before Tenten could say anything in response, Pochi came running in and up Hinata's lap.

"THAT BASTARD OF A CREATURE TOOK SHELTER IN MY ARMANI JACKET!" Ino came in screaming, waving a black jacket in hand.

Hinata looked down at the poor creature and this random image just flashed into her mind. It was as if Pochi was a person and it was smirking in a 'haha, I soiled your jacket' manner.

Inwardly, she laughed.

Then ran in Temari, looking partially annoyed, with a remote in hand. She was probably watching some show on the telly before entering.

And when Temari entered, almost immediately, Pochi hopped off Hinata's lap and ran straight to Temari's feet. Using it's claws to grate lightly against her skin. It meant that Pochi wanted Temari to pick it up and so she did.

"Ino," Temari said waving the remote in her face, "it's not as if Pochi's pee is acidic or something."

"It's Armani Temari," Ino cried, "do you know what this means?"

"It mean that it would get as clean as any other clothing once it enters the bloody wash," Temari said, "and," she added before Ino could say anything, "I'm not getting a bloody cage for Pochi."

Ino did a low groaning sound of defeat and bit her lips angrily, "well, when's Shikamaru's turn to keep it?"

"Tomorrow," Temari muttered, "you must be bloody happy."

Ino gave a 'what the hell' look, "stop saying 'bloody'."

"I can't help it, I'm watching Harry Potter and bloody Ron keeps saying 'bloody'. What can I do about it?"

"You're a bitch, do you know that?"

"Thanks for the bloody compliment."

* * *

Tsunade caught up to him before he could enter the lift.

She knew he had heard her calling, but decided not to turn back and ask what the matter was. After all, it'd be far too troublesome for him.

"Yes Principal?" he asked when her hand came to his shoulder, "what is so important that you have to come running down the corridor shouting my name?"

"I received a letter from the government," Tsunade said, taking a envelope out from her pocket.

Shikamaru knitted his eyebrows, cause normally, for most cases, receiving a letter from the government would be a bad thing.

"Er…," he took the concealed envelope from Tsuande, "did I do something wrong?"

Tsuande just kept silent as she watch him tear open the letter and scan through the words.

In an ordinary circumstance, she believed that any student would be incessantly jubilant upon receiving such a letter from the government. But Shikamaru isn't just any student, he is the kind who wouldn't make a fuss out of something a normal student would.

She waited patiently for his respond, he was taking longer than usual to read such a brief message. Just by looking at his eyes, she could tell that he was certainly most disbelieved and rereading the whole thing again- even though it is certainly very troublesome- to truly grasp it's content.

"So?" she asked when she could no longer take the suspense, "what do you think?"

"Forget it," he passed the letter back to her, "I'm not going."

She watched as he pushed the letter back into it's envelope and pass it back to her forcefully. It was pretty much expected, someone as weird as Shikamaru would have such a reaction.

"But it's compulsory," Tsuande urged following him into the lift.

"Then why do you ask what I think of it in the first place, Principal?" Shikamaru muttered, apparently very disappointed with that information, "it's not like my choice would affect my entrance. Besides, the government needs to know about something called 'Human Rights'. This is troublesome."

Tsuande nodded, "transferring school is always troublesome. But it'll only be for a period of time."

"Principal Tsuande," Shikamaru said seconds before the doors opened, "you should be intelligent enough to realize that the idea of it being troublesome isn't my sole reason for not wanting to transfer."

Tsunade sighed and stepped out of the lift with Shikamaru, "I thought I placed a ban on this whole relationship thingy?"

Shikamaru stopped, he saw his ride driving down the road towards him. The black tinted windows of the vehicle and it's shining black color, they were like the eyes of a fallen person. Impenetrate blackness, like an empty void, holding a spotlight above a single lone soul that wonders endlessly, aimlessly amongst the lightless hole.

"Principal Tsunade," he muttered slowly and softly under his breath as the limousine stopped in front of him, waiting for him to enter it's darkness, "if there is one thing I've learnt from my recent adventure… it is to treasure those around you and not take anything for granted. Like a mother conceiving her child- she goes through great pains to have her bundle of joy. But that child's life is fragile and limited like ice; it would eventually melt away, it's just a matter of time." He paused, "Some melt faster than others."

* * *

The phone rang a few seconds ago and Sakura left the dinner table to answer it. She came back with the phone seconds later, waving it in Temari's face, indicating it was for her.

Temari sighed, Shikamaru had picked a wrong time to call her. She is currently indulging in a kick ass movie accompanied by broccoli soup- perfect combination- this requires full concentration.

"Yes?" she asked in a casual like manner, he had always only called her with the best intentions, so she better not be rude, "and what would you like in this fine, lovely semi evening?"

"Well I don't know Temari, well maybe for starters, you can totally wipe Nara boy off you mind for, say, umm… five seconds?" Kankuro's voice rang into her ears, "or is that too hard, my darling older sister?"

It shook her a bit, to hear Kankuro's voice instead of Shikamaru's. And at the same time, it made her whole body swell up in embarrassment.

"Who… said that I was thinking about him…?" she said with a voice that hopefully sounded stable, "anyway, why did you call?"

"We need you to come back for a while," he said lightly, in a careful tone, "we need you to officially hand over the position to Gaara."

Although she didn't really want to move her ass off Konoha at the moment, but she knew Suna couldn't go without a leader forever. Plus, there wasn't much she could do in Konoha now, weird things had been happening to her and this would probably be the only non weirdo thing that's going to happen before another funny thing pops out.

A vacation- ish might be good.

"When do you want me back?" Temari asked, "tomorrow? Next week? Oh wait I have some important school event next week…"

"Then right after it," Kankuro offered, "but don't bring that dick head along."

She smiled to herself. Somehow or rather, being Kankuro and Gaara's older sister wasn't that hard, she initially thought it was going to be all awkward uncomfortable, but strangely she seemed to have slipping in to the position very easily. Just like wearing a new pair of shoes. Maybe it's in their blood, her real blood. Sociable wasn't the proper term- she is definitely not sociable. At the moment, she couldn't think of an appropriate word.

"Ok, ok," she laughed, "I wouldn't, I wasn't intending to anyway."

"I never know what going on in that brain of yours," he said, suppressing a smirk, "well then, see you soon."

* * *

A/N: Intially, I thought I should end it here. But then, I thought again and realized what a bitch I've been for making you guys wait (hopefully in anticipation). So I decided, what the heck, might as well pour out all the inspiration I have right now before it all disappears.

So if your eyes are tired, you can stop here, or maybe rest. Look out for this blaring _**HERE**_ sign, I caps, underlined, bolded and italic it so that it'll catch your attention the next time you scroll down this chapter- cause I know no one wants to read the same shit again, especially my shit.

Happy reading!

* * *

_5 days to _Sports Day_ (if you don't count today…)_

He woke up earlier than usual, not because he had a bad dream- that's only for babies- and not because his alarm rang too soon, rather the curse mark hurt like hell.

There, he sat, one hand gripping tightly to his forearm and the other sinking into the metal table next to the bed- yes, it hurts that badly. It feel like someone is endlessly running their long nails down his bare flesh, their salt covered nails.

"What the fuck had Mitarashi given me?" he thought amidst the agony, "I thought I was going to get her intelligence… and yet I got a freaking curse. Bloody, fucking, bitch."

He tried to keep silent, he knew that if he made too much noise, he might wake Orochimaru up. On second thought, he wondered if Orochimaru really ever sleeps.

It took a few minutes of resilience before the pain wore off, it would come every so often and if it did, he noticed it's only during the night time. It was good in a way, if it ever came during the day, it would be very inconvenient to both him and Suigetsu.

Juugo sat there and took in deep breaths, although the throbbing and burn sensation eventually faded, he would feel a prickly feeling on that spot, like sand was running under his skin.

It would be quite some time before he would return to his light slumber and while he was waiting for the drowsiness to return, he reflected on the several talents he stole from the girls.

First was Tamanaki Milla.

He had heard she was good at the piano and several other instruments. Initially, he didn't really care, but after seeing he needed to do a test run on his newly invented Extration Machine, he felt she was the perfect candidate. Juugo checked around and found out that she had soaring grades and a good physical fitness, not to mention, musical talent.

That night, he decided he should go up to her with a little lie going along the lines of 'I need blood samples for this Biology research Milla senpai, would you mind?' But somehow or rather, as he stood amongst the shadows of the auditorium, waiting for Milla to enter, there was a ballistic, mad feeling that swept across him; he wanted to see her die. He wanted to see her pouring with blood. All his biology teacher ever shown him were plastic livers and silicon intestines- what about the real thing? Chickens and frogs are nothing compared to human beings.

So he killed her.

Gathered all her blood and brought it home to extract her most dominant DNA.

That's how he is able to master the piano overnight.

Second was Shiho.

Aw that bitch, he noticed how she is always showing off and pissing other girls off with her so called 'intelligence', really, she's nothing more than a sack of numbers.

He never intended to possess code breaking skills, but why put all her blood to waste? Then he'll have two purpose for killing her. 1, to eliminate a dysfunctional member from the human race and 2, to get some code breaking skills.

Third would be Amaterasu Ni Aki.

The excuse he told himself for killing her would be that Yui might need a friend up there in heaven to accompany her. But really, all he ever wanted was to touch her green hair. It amazes him, how someone can have natural green hair. Ok, maybe Zetsu has green hair too, but can he really kill Zetsu? Probably not.

Juugo brought back samples of her hair to figure out how it gotten it's natural green hue. He also brought back samples of her blood so he would have a hundred percent accuracy. If Aki did not have accuracy, how is it she was able to represent Japan in archery during the recent Olympic games? So her talent has to be accuracy.

And in between somewhere, maybe Shiho and Aki, he managed to grab hold of Mitarashi's blood. Juugo remember all too well how he luckily stumbled across the labeled bag of blood.

That day, he was rushing off to the staff office in a hurry to hand in his assignment on 'The Difference Between Mitosis and Meiosis', he didn't want any marks to be deducted just because he handed it in late. Bt as he headed towards the office, he crossed Mitarashi. He recalled her running away from the office, maybe she was crying, maybe not, didn't matter.

That time, he ignored her, he had something even more important than some cry/ not crying girl- his assignment. At the office door, he remembered it flung open before he could even reach out to it- Kakashi came dashing out. He didn't quite link the two people together, but that didn't matter too, cause when he entered the office, the first thing he saw lying on Kakashi's table was a bag of blood labeled 'Mitarashi Anko'.

Coincidentally, there was no one in the office at that time, who would be? It's way past working hours. So he went towards Kakashi's table and bagged the blood as well as the ziplock with hair her hair.

He recalled that it was one joyous moment, for he had heard of Anko's intelligencem, and now he has her blood. What luck.

"Juugo."

That voice broke him out of his thoughts. It was Suigetsu.

"Yeah?" he relied, sounding rather sleepy.

"Do you think… well, do you think Karin knows about _that_?" Suigetsu asked gingerly.

Juugo smiled to himself, "not if I tell her."

"You fucking hell don't," Suigetsu said, "do you know she has a boyfriend?"

Juugo shifted around his bed. Truthfully, he was pretty shocked. Karin having a boyfriend was the last thing he would ever think of.

"Well you missed your chance then," Juugo said, "you'll get over it… but seeing you just accepted the fact that you have a crush on her, maybe the getting over bit would take quite a long time to come…"

Suigetsu scoffed, "but really how many guys would actually like her?"

"I know one guy? Want me to tell you his name?"

"Good night."

* * *

Hinata thought about what her friend said regarding her and Neji, she couldn't sleep because of that.

So today morning, she was the first out of bed, mainly because she didn't get much sleep.

"Is that why this barrier built up between me and Naruto?" she thought as she brushed her teeth.

Then, everyone else was starting to wake up.

"Is that why I'm so unapproachable?" she wondered as she ate her breakfast.

Then, the others were still changing.

"Is that why he didn't even bother to ask about the relation between me and Neji?" she pondered while she wore her shoes.

Then, her friends had just finished their breakfast.

Life seem to pass by pretty quick when one occupied themselves with thoughts, Hinata realized that this morning. Also, when your brain is horded by these mindful thinking, sometimes you intend to miss a lot of things- like um… a school bag?

"Freak," Hinata muttered, looking around for her school bag.

They had reached school and just parked their jeep in an empty lot. So habitually, Hinata reached for her left and realized that there was nothing there. She forgotten to bring her bag to school!

Unforgivable.

"What?" Sakura asked as she turned off the engine, which made Hinata scream.

Thankfully, it was a soft scream, not many heard it.

"Gosh, what Hinata?" Sakura asked again, with violent reactions to the scream.

"My bag," Hinata said, "I forgotten to bring it!"

The four girls stood there, keeping their mouth shut and trying to fully understand whatever Hinata has just said.

"Seriously?" Tenten asked, "is that a code for something else? Like you're actually trying to say 'Oh, it's Naruto, TAKE COVER!' is that it?"

"No," Hinata went around the car and even looked under it to check for her missing bag, "I think I seriously didn't bring it."

The others can't believe that Hyuga Hinata actually forgot to bring something, something like her FREAKING BAG. Hinata is like the definition of a goody two shoes, Sakura has a boyfriend, hence she doesn't qualify- if that's what you're wondering.

"Er… so are you going to go a day without a bag or," Temari swing the ring of keys round her finger, "you want a ride back?"

Hinata didn't want to trouble her friends, neither did she want to go the whole day without any books… even hough she knew Kakashi wouldn't care a single bit.

Temari kept her key and stuff both her hands into the pockets of her short denim skirt, "I know you much prefer to hitch a ride with Naruto… but…"

"Stop teasing her," Tenten said, "at least not now."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "as Temari was saying, but Naruto himself seems to have forgotten to bring his bag too."

Hinata looked at if someone just flashed nude in front of her and her violet, lilac eyes grew wide. Despite being the practical Naruto stalker, Hinata still doesn't know of Naruto's bag morning habits.

"Not surprising," Tenten said, "he had poor memory, he told me during soccer practice. That's why he always late for school- he keeps forgetting which of the three identical bags he has at home is his school bag."

"OH NO," Ino practically yelled at the top of her voice, sounding _very_ distressed, "WHATEVER SHALL WE DO? HINATA FORGOT TO BRING HER SCHOOL BAG!"

Naruto immediately looked up and saw the girls crowded around their jeep in a distance.

"SAKURA HAS TO HOMEWORK TO DO BEFORE FIRST PERIOD!" Ino continued screaming.

Sakura made a face, "we don't have homework."

"TENTEN HAS A BROKEN WRIST FROM KICKING TOO MANY BALLS."

"Ino," Temari muttered, "that sounded wrong."

"SOCCER BALLS."

"She meant about the wrist being broken by kicking _soccer_ balls," Tenten corrected.

Ino ignored her and continued, "TEMARI HAS TO… TO… CUT THE GRASS!"

Temari raised a brow and sighed, "no comment."

Hinata started jumping up and down madly, trying to get Ino to shut her damn trap, but she couldn't stop the psychotic bitch. And as Ino screamed her lungs out, Naruto started to walk over, quicker and quicker.

"AND I JUST MANICURED MY NAILS," she said for herself, "THEY'RE OF HIGH MAINTENANCE! OH WHATEVER SHALL WE DO? NOBODY CAN DRIVE HINATA HOME TO GET THE SCHOOL BAG SHE FORGOT TO BRING!"

Naruto jogging over slowly. Ino refused to acknowledge his presence claiming it to be too obvious their expecting him to come.

"Hey Hinata," Naruto said, stopping next to her, "you forgot your school bag too?" He laughed as he ran his hand through his hair, "haha, what a coincidence, me too. So…"

"Yes, she would love to," Ino interrupted Naruto.

Naruto gave a very confused look, "love to what? I was about to ask her what she would say to Kurenai sen sei as an excuse for not bring her books… you know how demonic she can be…"

"Ok," Sakura said, pulling her bag up her shoulder, "now we know how dense he really is. I'm getting back to class."

"Oh Sakura," Naruto called before she left, "I finished the homework, do you want to copy mine?"

Sakura made a weird, freaked out face, thinking, "we don't even have homework."

She just walked away.

Naruto turned back to the rest of them, "so Hinata, what are you going to tell her?"

"Er…" Hinata thought for a moment.

Currently, her mind is in a mess. Firstly, Naruto was freaking next to her, he's like interfering with her train of thoughts. Secondly, Naruto so didn't get anything- how upset. Lastly, WTH was that last statement about? She doesn't know if she's being paranoid or not, but that last statement he had just said, was filled with hidden… _love_.

"Get over her," she felt like telling him, "she's freaking fucking Sasuke! Or at least she wants to."

"Well, I guess I'll say sorry…" Hinata frowned, thinking about how Kurenai might react when she finds out…, "what are you going to say?"

Naruto shrugged, "nothing. I have this set of textbooks under my desk, cause you know, I'm always forgetting to bring them, so I bought another set and kept it in school just in case."

Ino, Tenten and Temari couldn't believe what a jerk Naruto can be. But what was even harder to believe was that Hinata was head over heels in love with the dimwit. What the fuck did she see in him? Does she have magical 'I see the good in everyone' eyes? Is that why their close to white?

"Oh," Hinata tried her earnest to smile, "haha, good then."

She didn't know what else she could say.

Naruto nodded, smiling along with her, "oh hey Tenten, I'm sorry about your wrist, I'll tell Pein sen pai not to push you too much."

"I- She-" Tenten grumbled, "never mind, you're weird, Naruto. I say, weird."

Naruto gave her a funny look and turned to Temari, but before he could say anything Temari stopped him.

"The grass cutting is for charity, to help those mentally unsound," she said, she tossed Hinata the keys, "here. I need to get to class, I have something to tell someone."

Ino grinned and looked at her, "you don't need to be shy, just say you're going to look for Shikamaru."

Temari didn't reply her and walked into the school compounds with Tenten close by her side. The other students were starting to clear the parking lot too, they somehow noticed school was about to start and the gates were about to close. Hinata somewhat knew that her hopes of going back to retrieve her bag is long gone, she would never make it back on time.

Ino too noticed the time on her new Adidas watch, "Hinata, I'm going in first, ok? See you."

The two of them watch Hinata sprint off into the school doors in high heels. Quite an amazing feat, only Ino could pull of such an act.

"So…" Naruto said, look down at Hinata, "I guess it's just the two of us…"

Hinata smiled, "at least he's starting to get a little romantic," she thought.

"… who didn't bring the school bag."

She felt like crying.

* * *

She woke up today, wanting it to be a new day, hoping _it_ was just a distant dream and praying this would be a better day.

Today morning, she felt around her bed post for her black spectacles, only to discover it was on her bedside table. What an usual place she place them on, habitually, she would hang them on her bed post, where it is in arms reach.

So she sat up and wore them, looked around her room and noticed that the curtains were drawn. She never drew the curtains, but she'd wind down the blinds, strange.

Then it occurred to her that whatever happened wasn't a dream.

Suigetsu did carry her up.

Suigetsu did draw her curtains.

Suigetsu did take off her specs.

Suigetsu did answer the ringing phone.

Suigetsu did say goodbye.

Mixing dream with reality is something a storybook character would do, then again, someone must have experienced it to write about it, so it might be true.

When she got to the train station, she walked all the way to the front and leaned against the poster covered wall waiting for the train. There, quite a few feet away, was a mother with her baby boy in a pram. The baby was crying cause the train on the other rail line was coming into the station and the noise frightened his little heart.

Talk about déjà vu.

Karin remembered distinctively that this was the exact spot where she first met Suigetsu. The mother and baby were present too, at the exact same spot. Maybe this has been what she had been done over the past few years, walking to the front of the train station to wait for the train. She might not have noticed until recently, that the woman and her child might have been doing the same too- standing there, waiting for the train.

Tomorrow she might see them again, during the same time, at the same place. But _that_ day might never repeat again.

Now, the shark boy is 24/7 accompanied by big boy Juugo.

Karin wondered if they'd come to her school today. She knew a sane person would pray to god that those weirdoes don't come, so she might be insane.

* * *

"Karin."

She looked up from her book and looked at her math physics teacher with an irritated face.

"Pay attention," she said before continuing bickering about the Lenz Law.

"Fleming's Left hand rule, Right hand rule," she read her textbook in efforts to concentrate, "Right GRID rule… Damn, damn, damn. Screw physics. What kind of shit is this?"

She looked towards the board and read whatever that has been written on it. Apparently, the teacher is trying to educate the class on something called 'Electric Field Lines'. This is as bad as 'Magnetic Field Lines'.

"Teacher," Karin raised her hand, "toilet pass."

* * *

Temari didn't manage to find Shikamaru before the school bell rang. She only found Shino talking to a few bugs in his class. He wanted to greet her, but was carried away by another bug that flew on his desk. Temari decided to ignore his existence for the moment and return to class.

Kakashi handed out notes on a new chapter and asked them to return home to do self studying. That's how it is like for every lesson with Kakashi, self study this, self study that.

Occasionally, some students would insist he teach them, at least once. But he would always retort with the same old line: Self study is good for you! And he'd raise one hand with the notes in it, smiling like the statue of liberty.

She decided to talk to Neji, since her partner, Sakura, is busy reading some dictionary sized book. Nerd.

"Hey Neji," he spun his chair around and gave her the 'go ahead, speak' look.

"So you're Hinata's cousin?" she asked, even though she knew it was totally random.

"Waiting for the blood test," Neji said coolly, like finding out your true heritage isn't a big thing, "why do you ask?"

"It's just a really random question," she said looking over at Tenten seated next to him, "you're teaching her Alkenes?"

He nodded, "she's my best student," he said that as he gave her chair a kick, "and my only student. She's the only one dumb enough not to understand Alkenes besides, well Naruto… and Kiba… and Lee… and-"

"See," Tenten smacked a sheet of paper in front of Neji, making him jump a little, "I'm not that stupid."

He looked at the structural formula Tenten drew of 2 methyl propane and sighed after a while.

"What?" Tenten snapped, grabbing the paper, "what's wrong?"

"Carbon should have a double bond with another," Neji said, pointing to the chain of Carbon atoms, "get it?"

"Shit you," Tenten muttered, "you freaking told me it was pure single freaking bond."

"Tenten is starting to throw a tantrum," Temari noted.

She slapped him on the arm and made a pouty face.

"Oh gosh," Temari thought, "Tenten is throwing a _girly_ tantrum… ohhh…"

"That's only for Alkanes, Tenten," Neji said calmly, trying to sooth the little angry girl.

She scowled and smacked him again, "that's for the confusion. I hate studying."

"You only like soccer and your game is tomorrow."

Tenten and the whole of the soccer team has a match tomorrow with Konoha North High School.

"You remembered?"

Temari sensed this light radiating from Tenten's body. Gosh.

"I'm reminded, constantly, by you and Sakura."

"Damn," Temari thought, "he shouldn't have said Sakura's name…"

Tenten gave him this quizzical expression after he said Sakura's name. As if her face alone was trying to tell him 'what has Sakura got to do with my game tomorrow?'

Neji seemed to have got what she was trying to ask, or is it his psychic skills that are helping him? Oh wait, he mentioned that they didn't work like that.

"We're suppose to be standing by…" he said, hoping she understood what he meant, but obviously the new expression she gave told him no, "first aid?"

Tenten's mouth formed into an 'o' shape, as if she was saying 'oh' silently and nodding her head. It was pretty much a disappointment to her, she didn't know why. He only remembered her game because he is… she hate to say this, _annoying_, and because he is suppose to be standing by…

"I hate people who stand by…" she told herself silently, so much so that Neji wouldn't be able to hear, "then again I hate almost everything now. I hate studying- that's pretty much top on everyone's hate list. I hate thinking- even though technically one cannot get by a day without thinking at least 400, 000 thoughts. I hate also hate pride, hell yeah, pride; the ruin of every man. Pride stops you from doing this, but at the same time pride makes you do that. Inwardly, everyone absolutely detests it, but outwardly, they do it. As the saying goes 'you know a fool when you see one, you don't know a fool when you are one'. Neji's a fool. Damn right he is. He is so self absorbed, even the peacock can't match. Vanity is his middle, middle, middlest name. What adds to his pride? Hah. Fan Girls. Boy, I fucking hate them , every single one of those Neji fan girls… making her sit next to a proud, out, gay shit. Yeah, oh yeah, I hate Neji.

"But then again… if he is so proud… he wouldn't help me with my homework… people _do_ have a good side… So is Neji still proud?"

She felt a nudge on her shoulder and looked at Neji, "what?" she snapped.

Then she realized that their teacher had just entered the class and had given out the test paper. Meaning to say, she had been so caught up in his own thoughts, she wasn't aware what the fuck the world had been up to. There could've been a fire and she wouldn't even know… well unless Neji favored her enough as a friend to actually beat the crap out of her until she's drawn back down to earth.

"Here," Neji said sliding her test paper towards her, he was smiling, giving her a satisfied grin, "you should take a look at your marks."

Neji knew Tenten was the kind who didn't really cared about her studies, but she cared about her marks. As ironic as it may seem, he soon came to terms with it. Ever since he sat next to her, she had always preferred him to pass her her paper, flipped upside down so she can't see her own marks. She might go through the whole period without seeing her marks, cause she's so afraid she might fail… and to her failure wasn't something bad, rather something _deadly_.

A few days before this test took place, he taught her the basics of the chapter because she had the courageous to risk her dignity and ask. A great virtue, it is commendable.

Now, her marks are the fruit of her labor.

He must admit, before he taught her, her concept of the chapter fucking sucked, so much so she would say a triangle has four sides.

"Gosh," she said, after getting at peak at the second digit, "it's a three. It the first number is a two… that'll be twenty three over thirty… fuck, that's damn good."

He wanted to laugh, "just look damn it," he pulled the paper open in front of her face, "here, two, three. Twenty three. You passed, passed really well."

"FUCK!"

Kurenai, who was sitting at the teacher's table while the students flipped through their papers, shot Tenten a glance. 'Fuck?' she seemed to say with her eyes, 'isn't that too mild for the first A you scored this term?'

Tenten quickly covered her mouth with her hand and did a more silent scream of 'fuck'.

"How much did you get?" Tenten asked, looking over at Neji's paper, "full freaking marks! How is that possible?"

"Well the paper was easy…"

Tenten gave him a frown, "Temari," she leaned back to face her, "how much did you get?"

"Twenty nine," she muttered, "careless mistake there, didn't round it off to one decimal place… sad isn't it?"

"Sakura?" Tenten asked, but later realized her mistake- Sakura always got the highest marks among the five of them, "oh never mind."

She leaned over Neji's table, causing him to move back a little, "hey Naruto, much did you get?"

Naruto made the number with his fingers.

Two. Four.

Twenty freaking four?

Higher than her?

Fuck.

Shikamaru really is a better teacher.

* * *

They ended classes a little early today and met up at the school's parking lot.

"Hey Shikamaru," Temari said walking over to him with a box in her hand, "here, it's your turn."

He reluctantly received it from her and looking into it, "your turns always end early… troublesome…"

"Oh and one more thing," Temari said, "I'm going back to Suna for a little while… like after the Sports Day. So you'll have to keep him until I come back… Is that ok with you?"

It reminded him of the school that offered him a seating. It starts it's lessons a few days few their Sports Day. So… Temari wasn't going to be in Konoha…

"How long are you going?" Shikamaru asked.

She thought for a while, "a few weeks maybe…"

"That's long…"

"I need to spend time with Gaara and Kankuro."

"Ah, your over protective brothers… troublesome," She paused for a while, "can I come along?"

He asked even though there was a eighty five percent chance she might say 'no'. But hey, fifteen percent isn't a small number.

Temari gave him a 'you're contradicting' face', "you just said they were over protective… so what do you think?"

"I can come?"

She smiled, "yeah sure, but don't expect to come back alive, _darling_."

He didn't have any violent reactions to the word 'darling' primarily because he knew she had been watching those 80's British movies where the girls would always call someone else 'darling'. Shikamaru is getting pretty used to her frequent change in attitude, her worst attitude change had to be when she watched horror thrillers back to back and couldn't stop have sadist thoughts for the next few days.

Temari, as you can see, is highly affected by movies.

"Well now I'll have no choice but to accept Tsunade's request," he thought out loud, "I'm going to an elite school for the gifted for one month or so…"

Temari crossed her arms, "is that so? Elite School for the _Gifted_? Ho, ok then, have fun in your _Elite_ School, where you have _Elite_ lessons, and _Elite_ activities and _Elite_ friends and," she paused a smirked, "meet Elite _girls_… Have fun with girls your caliber."

He leaned against the nearest car and shook his head, "wait, wait, hold up. If I'm not mistaken, I heard a tinge of jealousy in your tone."

"Well you are very, very, gravely mistaken mister," she said, looking away, avoiding all means of eye contact.

He laughed, clapping his hands, "you are jealous. God, Temari. You're jell- us, jealous."

Temari bit her lips and looked at him, "stop being childish, you're acting like a kid."

"That's because I am one," he exclaimed, "troublesome. And you're like… three years older than me… so that doesn't make you one. Sad, being a kid is troublesome, but fun."

"Fine," she said, "make friends with Elite girls _your age_ then. I don't care."

"Yes you do," he spoke with utmost calmness.

"You're being childish again."

"Just admit it. Denying is childish too."

"I…" she frowned and did the next most sensible thing- she kissed him.

In public.

Temari took a step forward and kissed him smack on the lips. She couldn't believe this, but he is tall, way tall, like half a head taller than her. She totally had to tip her toes to kiss him.

This sucked.

Especially since she's three fucking years older.

Shikamaru reacted as if he had expected it and pulled her closer to him and slinked that arm around her waist. Mainly because he wanted her close to him, but another more decent reason would be her centre of gravity, she was losing it.

"Ok," she pulled away after half a minute, "I'm out of breath."

"That quickly?" he asked, "troublesome. You can't always kiss me when you have nothing to rebut my statement."

The two of them looked around, only to find their kiss consisted of several spectators, few of which were fan girls.

"Ok," Temari said stepping away, seeing the flaming eyes of the fan girls, "before they get too angry, I better go," she came close to his ear and whispered to him, "no Elite girls your age, ok?"

"I knew you were jealous," he muttered back.

"Shut up," she gave him a kiss on the cheek before sprinting off to her girls and screaming for them to start the ignition before the fan girls caught up to her and stamped her to the floor.

"Take another step closer," he warned the fan girls standing before him, "and I'm never going to tell any of you the formula to find area of cone."

Their eyes widen simultaneously and immediately backed off.

Apparently, the area of cone is very precious to them.

* * *

"Sai's being weird," Ino told the girls as them drove back, "he's always sticking to me, and he doesn't allow Sasuke to utter a word to me. He says it's because Sasuke is going to give me a long speech about how deeply he loves Sakura, but I think it's fake. Sasuke wouldn't do that."

Sakura, who had been reading her Partial Fractions notes looked up at Ino and gave her a face, "he totally read me a poem today."

"Everybody read each other poems today Sakura," Tenten said as a matter of factly, "oh, what poem did Naruto read to you?" she asked Hinata.

Hinata started scowling as soon as she heard Tenten's question, "what does this sound like: _Dark and lonely on a summer's night. Kill my landlord. Kill my landlord. Watchdog barking. Do he bite? Kill my landlord. Kill my landlord. Slip in his window. Break his neck. Then his house I start to wreck. Got no reason. What the heck? Kill my landlord. Kill my landlord. K-I-L-L my land lord!_ By Tyrone Green."

"He read that to you?" Tenten asked stupefied, "welll, maybe the landlord has a wife that the author's in love with, that's why he wants to kill the landlord."

Sakura nodded, "that sounds possible. Maybe he's expressing his hidden admiration for you."

"Don't kid around with me," Hinata frowned, "you know that isn't true… He is so annoying and unromantic yet I… I _like_ him…"

Ino held Hinata's hand, "your love is strong, we admire you for that. Sai's poem went like this: _I see the stars sparkling so bright, Within the moon kissed sky. I hear the lark so sweetly sing, Amidst the morning dawn. I smell the flower full in bloom, And see their royal pomp. And yet some place so deep within, I'm shrouded and I'm closed. The brilliance there I can't see, In mists of misery. Enshrined inside, unable thus, To touch the warmth without. I gaze upon this passion spent, And yet . . . Inside I die._ By some Marilyn person."

"I die?" Sakura repeated the poem's last line, "what's that poem about anyway? It's so… emo…" Sakura made a face, "like he secretly cuts his wrist or something… it's pretty spooky."

"Well I think it's romantic," Ino squealed, ignoring Sakura's comment, "anyways, I _do_ like mysterious men."

Sakura grinned, "so literature doesn't suck as bad as you said it sucked, eh? Wasn't today's lesson fun?"

Ino hate to admit when Sakura's right and more than ninety nine percent of the time, Sakura was right. She always right and when she gets something wrong, she'll scream.

Like the other time, she accidentally spelt ninety wrongly, she missed out the 'e'- mind you, it's pre schooling days- and she let out this ear piercing scream that sent the teachers evacuating the building and the kids to a whole month of quarantine in their homes.

At that time, Ino thanked Sakura from saving her from the horrors of school, pre school. But now, even Sakura's scream couldn't force her out of the boundaries of school. School evolved to be a fun thing, at least something better than staying at home and idling.

Idling is boring. And according to Temari, it's brain damaging.

"So Temari," Tenten asked, "who did you read your poem to?"

"Chouji."

"Ah," Tenten did a 'I kind of expected it face', "the boyfriend's best friend. I see. What was the poem?"

Temari sighed, "_Roses are red, Violets are blue_," she read her poem from the back of her mind, "_sugar is sweet, they make you fat too_."

They immediately burst out laughing. What image Temari's poem had instilled in their minds was so powerful, they loss all sense of sanity for a few seconds.

"Ho," Hinata jolted up from her seat, she just remembered something really random, yet important, "hey Sakura, do you happen to know any weird things Sasuke and Sai are keeping secret?"

"Like?" Sakura asked, hoping that it isn't something she wasn't aware of, she hated the idea of Sasuke hiding something from her.

If he did hide something from her, she would be just an ordinary fan girl, except of a higher rank- the girlfriend. She would be no different from those screaming hoards of girls just waiting to pounce on Sasuke. They knew nothing important about and to him, and now, she was getting the feeling she didn't know too.

"Well," Hinata thought for the phone call for a while, trying to pull out bits and pieces Sasuke accidentally leaked out, but there were none, "I don't know, just strange behavior perhaps?"

Sakura couldn't think with a broad category to consider from. She was starting to get uneasy, initially, she expected herself to be able to recite the where abouts of Uchiha Sasuke since the moment she step foot on earth- she did, he told her, answered all her questions. But then she realized, there were some things she would never be able to know, things that he kept from her, things she forgot to ask about.

Ino hadn't been listening, she had been jamming to the beat of this new song blasting through the stereo system of the car. Her head bobbing up and down to the music.

But if she had listened, she would've have made a whole fuss about it.

Sai was hiding something from her too.

* * *

"If you're not going to tell her," Sasuke muttered, his back facing Sai's, "then how will she know?"

"She won't need to know," Sai said, "I'll just keep trying. There's a chance, especially since she's doing her best to help me."

Sasuke slumped in his seat and swirled his roller chair around to face Sai's crouching back, "why don't you do this?"

Sasuke wanted to try something out.

Sai turned around, seemingly interested in Sasuke's idea, "what?" he asked.

"You go for the surgery," Sasuke said, "absent yourself form school for a few days. You don't tell her why though and me, Neji and Shino wouldn't know why too. So you come back behaving all foreign around her and she wonders why. She going to ask you, thinking you guys are still together, but you won't remember, would you Sai? You would have forgot about her by then. Ino would eventually get over you cause you're so hostile and go for another guy. There. How does that sound?"

Sai nodded his head and wriggled his brows, "I have no solid opinion on this matter," then he shifted his gaze on Sasuke, "how would you feel if Sakura came back, not able to remember anything she had initially felt for you?"

Sasuke pushed himself towards Sai, "but Sai, there was no 'initially felt' in your case. You can't feel, you can't understand. All you get of these feeling are from the Dummies Guide, which Ino had told you not to read. You don't love her Sai, cause you don't know what the hell that means. You don't know what it means to love someone."

"Then I'll learn," Sai said, absolutely calm, "I know I'm supposed to felt offended and angry now, but I'm not getting it. But at least I know how I'm supposed to feel. The tell me Sasuke, do you know what it's mean to love someone?"

Sasuke almost pulled open his mouth to shoot a 'yes' reply out. But he thought about the question again and reconsidered his definition of 'love'.

To Sasuke, Sakura had always been this quiet, studious girl in his class. He knew her through Ino, after she confessed to him. He noticed her because of her pink hair and her sparkling emerald eyes. Odd combination, but he liked it.

Then there was the timeless expression on her face when she read, it's like all time seize to continue and everyone just stop dead, mute, faded off into an empty space of black and white.

It was as if he is a colorblind man, but even so, he sees one roving speck of pink- Sakura. What was so different about her? Was it because she had her own opinion on things? Was it because she's always been confident around him, treating him no different from other students? He didn't know.

He came to like many things about her; her smell, her hair, her books, her child like wonder, her innocence, her eyes, her pale pink lips, her gaze… It became a drug, one in which a single dose isn't enough to satisfy the addict. She is alluring.

But over time, he did take an interest in her.

And interest cannot be confused with love.

Love is like a vessel of water.

Interest, an empty one.

* * *

Suigetsu had been waiting for her next to the oak tree after school today. When she saw him, he had been kicking this peddle around the tree like a little child. Then she questioned herself: What ever did she see in him?

When Suigetsu noticed her there, he stopped the kicking and waved at her. It took her a while to realize he was beckoning her over. Slowly, she thread through the numerous student filing out of the school and eventually managed to get to him. Juugo wasn't with him today.

She noticed he was extremely quite as they walk down the busy streets of Konoha, it's like he's bothered by something. But it's not like it's any of her business to know about his troubles. However, curiosity was taking it's toll on her.

"What?" she asked him in the most casual manner, "you're strangely quiet today. Something went wrong?"

He looked at her and gave her a pat on the shoulder, "I see you have the heart to care."

"I'm serious Suigetsu," Karin wasn't in the mood to get all worked up with him.

He sighed, understanding the tone of her voice, "I was thinking about what you asked me, specky."

She ignored the nickname, "what did I ask you, Urine?"

"About what I am, doll face."

"Oh yes, you never exactly answered my question, …weird face."

Suigetsu stopped walking and faced her, "do you want an answer?"

She noticed how he didn't add a nickname behind that sentence, which probably meant that he is serious.

"If you want to answer."

Suigetsu put his hands on his hip and looked around Karin, "you're being inexplicably nice today. Who are you and what have you done to Karin?"

Karin rolled her eyes, "stop being lame and get to the point."

"I can't get to the point unless you answer my question; do you want to know, or not?"

"I want to."

A smirk spread across Suigetsu's face, "I knew it," he took her by the wrist, "follow me, woman."

He took her to the zoo. Pretty weird place to tell her what he is, but after rethinking, Suigetsu is a weird person.

"Eh," she asked shook him as they joined the queue to get their entrance tickets, "are you going to tell me you're a zoo keeper?"

He looked at her and smirked, "I'm much cooler than that. Just be patient."

Suigetsu paid for the ticket, strangely kind of him to do so. They entered without much problem from the police officer at the entrance. Perhaps his disguise is better than she thought it was.

Then again, sunglasses and a hat wasn't very creative.

* * *

"This is asinine!" Karin exclaimed, as Suigetsu stood in front of an enclosed baboon habitat, "is that your mother? Is that why you brought me here? To tell me you're part baboon? Well," she threw her hands up, "not much of a surprise is it?"

Suigetsu gave her a stupefied look, "I brought you here because I thought you might want to see _your_ parents. Look at the resemblance! Astounding."

She smacked him on the forearm and pinched his cheek, "don't you play around with me baboon boy, unless your father is some tiger, I'm going to leave."

Karin, seeing Suigetsu bearing no change in his expression, turned to walk away, disappointed that this was what he made of her- a completely playable air head.

"You're partially correct," Suigetsu shouted across the baboon enclosure, "Karin."

She stopped when she heard him call her name.

It has the sweetest and most beautiful ring to it.

Nobody can afford not turning around after hearing their name being so beautifully resonated through the spastic air.

"What?" she snapped as angrily as possible, she couldn't understand why her name sounded so nice in his voice.

There, she made a mistake, by turning back, she saw his sweet, charming, school boy face. It almost made her drool. He wasn't the Sasuke kind of handsome, but damn, he _is_ hot.

"Don't be a bitch, and follow me," he grinned, "I'm not going to waste that ten bucks I paid for the entrance ticket. So come, this isn't what I want you to see."

Her stood there, unwilling to budged. Karin thought about what she told herself: completely playable air head. No way was she going to be classified that way.

Seeing that she wouldn't listen, Suigetsu made several 'tsk' sounds before walking over to her and taking her by the hand, pulling her away from the baboons.

* * *

He entered the store, feeling the rush of the cool air conditioned air come upon him as he did so. Over time, this store had became more and more familiar to him, he could make his way around blindfolded and get whichever disc you want- discounting the fact that he's a genius.

The guy at the cashier looked up from his magazine and pointed upwards, "old movies section."

Shikamaru pulled a small smile across his face and proceeded to what Temari claims to be 'The Best Movies Section'. She totally thinks old movies rock.

He came to the second floor only to find her lone soul pacing up and down the aisle holding no disc in hand. Normally she would have one or two that he would eventually pay for, but this time there were none. Could she have finished watching ALL the old movies? Impossible.

"Oh hey," she noticed that he finally arrived, "nothing's catching my eye today."

"So what do you want to do with the time?" Shikamaru asked taking a seat on the clean marble floor, "library? Park? Mall?" he cringed as he said it, "botanical gardens? Zoo? Home? Troublesome."

"Zoo?" she thought out loud, "it's been a long time since I've been there…"

Shikamaru frowned, "it was just a suggestion."

"A suggestion which I took seriously," she smiled, pulling him up from the floor, "we're going to the zoo."

"Are you by any chance making a wild life documentary?"

* * *

"Can the people at the back hear me?"

"YES!" Suigetsu shouted.

Karin looked at him, jumping up and down on the spot like a mad idiot.

They had just joined a tour group which would be going around all the shark enclosures. From the baboon till this tour, Suigetsu, she realized, has never release her hand from his grasp. She did a slight blush at that thought, she liked the feeling of having a hand holding her, as if she was a lifeline. Karin just wanted to curl up in a ball and squeal her wits out.

Suigetsu is holding her freaking hand!

"Ok," the woman brought the group into a building which supposedly contained all the between species of sharks from all over the world, "here, she pointed to a hammer head, is one of the…"

"Why are we standing at the back?" Karin whispered to her partner, "if you're interested, go to the front, idiot."

He hopped up and down looking around the room, "patience, I-"

He stopped speaking and stopped hopping, finally he realized he was still holding her hand. It made him scowl like he had made a fatal mistake and retracted him hand.

"Sorry," he muttered, as if he had just outraged her modesty by holding her hand, he tried to diminish the stale atmosphere between them by starting to jump again, "you're so going to think you boyfriend is nothing when you see what I can do."

Suigetsu stopped hopping when he realized what he had just said, "damn," he screaming in his head, "pull yourself together Suigetsu."

"What did you say?" she couldn't hear his previous sentence, the tour guide's voice over powered his.

He heaved a sigh of relief and shook his hand, "nah, it's nothing, oh look, the GREAT WHITE SHARK!"

Karin listened to the woman as she rattles on about the Great White Shark, but the whole time, she kept her eyes on the humongous half white half grey shark swimming around in the water. It had it's mouth closed, but she knew, under that pair of lips had to be multiple rows of razor sharp teeth, enough to grind fruit juice for the whole of Africa. Just looking at it, swimming around the water, only being separated by a sheet of glass, it terrified her.

"Moving on," the woman brought the rest of the group to another species of shark in another room.

Suigetsu held her back, careful not to hold her hand again.

She gave him a questioning look, "we're following the group damn it!"

Her voice was trembling. She could feel the Great White Shark's eyes in her, just dying to sink it's teeth into her flesh and devour her whole.

"Let's go," she said tugging his arm.

Suigetsu raised a brow, "I thought you wanted to know what I am."

Karin halted her pulled and looked at him in the eye, "don't tell me…"

"Yes," he smirked, "I'm a hybrid, part shark, part human. Orochimaru made me this way."

All this time, she had been next to someone feared by all men.

* * *

Temari came out from the washroom and came to the fountain where Shikamaru had sat waiting for her. He was about to doze off, but thank god she woke him up before he could fall back into the water.

"We haven't seen a single animal and you're already urgent," Shikamaru shook his head getting up from the fountain, "what do you want to see first?"

Temari bit her lips and looked around, all she saw were children and their parents, hardly any animals.

"Well we could walk deeper into the zoo I guess," Temari said, "I don't see many animals here."

Shikamaru shrugged, "that's because it's the entrance Temari," he said pulling his arms round her shoulders, "if you want to ride ponies, it's over there," he pointed to a far distance where a bunch of ponies walking in circles with children on their backs, "or maybe we can grab something to eat at the fast food chain there. Whatever fit's your troublesome attitude."

"What do you not want to do?" she asked, giving the impression she wouldn't want him to suffer.

"Ponies."

Temari grinned and nodded, "ponies it is then."

* * *

A/N: Is this long enough to satisfy you guys, cause I haven't been posting for like… forever! Sorry, terribly sorry. I hope you enjoyed it. I added lots and lots of things inside.

Please, oh please review. Cause it's 70 pages!


	21. Episode Twenty One: All Alone

A/N: Hey all! Did you like my super long chapter 20? Please tell me if you want my future chapters to be shorter or longer… but just to lay this out, I don't like writing chapters that are lesser than 40 pages on Microsoft Word, that's why I feel to agitated and very upset with my other fanfic _War Strategies_, I really want to give up on it, but you know me, I NEVER give up! So yeah, I might take a while to update the other fic… heh.

Since I'm going to take long to post the chapters to comes, I guess I should answer to your reviews here and now! (I have no idea how that would make up for taking long to update)

**the girl in you closet **You said that Karin was supposed be a bitch which drools over Sasuke a lot, to be completely honest with you, she's one of my favorite female characters in the series. This chapter will contain SuiKa, and I have to admit, at a later part of this chapter, there would be a scene where Karin gets a little OOC, I tried to make it seem in character but yet help me to proceed with the storyline as well. I'm so sorry you hate Hinata, I'm not a huge fan of her too, I think this chapter would sort of make you happier- for the moment. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**.HotHead **When's the next one? Well, it's… NOW!

**MrsMichaelis **I have a good feeling you are _her_. **HEY READERS!** If there is someone you need to thank for pushing me to post my chapters quickly, it's this little woman here!

Here's a shout out to those who reviewed chapter 20 (I feel reviewers don't get enough credit, I hope some author gives a shout out to me)

**the girl in your closet**, **Master Doc**, **PriciOzy**, **missy4eva**, **dattebayo1213, Cheetay**, **.HotHead**, **MrsMichaelis **and** Foca **thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I always wanted to try the conversation typed disclaimer, but… nah. So I still don't own Naruto.

* * *

"These are ponies, Temari," Shikamaru laughed, "what do you expect? They won't be able to carry you… troublesome," he paused, seeing how flushed her face was, "I wasn't implying that you're fat."

"Then why did you agree to tag along?" Temari muttered, "you knew."

He stopped by a near by mobile ice cream stand and asked for two vanilla ice cream, "I wanted to see the ponies."

Temari bit her lips and took her cone of vanilla ice cream from the man. She walked away leaving Shikamaru to pay for the food. It took him a while to fish out the cash and catch up to her.

"You're angry," he said, "you left me paying for your ice cream."

She spun around and looked at him, "well you're the guy here."

He gave her a look of utter confusion, "so?"

Temari glared at the man, before continuing to walk towards a near by bench, "I can't believe I'm dating you."

She sat down on the bench, licking away on her ice cream. Shikamaru just stood in front of her, caught up in what she had just said.

"_Dating_?" he repeated the word, "as in we're having a date _now_?"

Without looking at him she replied 'no'.

"We're going out now," she explained.

"But isn't going out equivalent to dating?"

"I thought you're the genius. I go out with Ino, but does that mean I'm dating her? No. I'm clearly not lesbian."

"Ok…" he dragged his 'k' longer than usual, obviously trying to figure something out, "troublesome as it seems, so since we're dating, that means we're er… having a relationship?"

She nodded, "yup, friendship doesn't constitute," she turned from her ice cream to face him.

"Troublesome," he smiled, "when we start going- I mean _dating_?"

Temari did an oh so fake gasp and light slapped him on the arm, "you mean you forgot? Heh, me too."

He was about to go over and kiss her on the cheek, in the zoo, among the presence of tiny young, innocence children who might possibly not understand the meaning of sex. But he was interrupted by someone calling Temari's name, apparently they weren't the only teenagers in the zoo.

* * *

"Temari!" Hinata called, "Temari, you have a phone call from your brother!'

Ino stuck her head out of the toilet, her face half done with make up, "she went out with Shikamaru."

Hinata did a soft 'oh' before returning to the line and telling Kankuro that Temari wasn't home, rather, she is spending her time with Shikamaru somewhere in Konoha.

Big mistake. Haha.

* * *

Suigetsu managed to persuade Karin into going to the shark feeding observatory only accessible to authorized personnel. The reason they managed to make it in was because the only thing stopping them from doing so was a plastic warning plastered to the door 'WARNING: DANGER OF SHARKS. DO NOT ENTER'.

"Ok," he said, half excited, "pea brain, you stand here ok?"

Karin was staring at the Great White Shark through the glass sheet in the observatory. She swallowed whatever that was left of her bravery and her ability to control her muscles. No matter how hard she tried, her feet just didn't move, frozen in terror. Is Suigetsu going to toss her in when she's not noticing? Did he really hate her that much? How would those razor like teeth feel in her skin? Maybe, Suigetsu might eat her too, maybe her limbs… they're the easiest.

"Sharks are harmless," he snickered, seeing how petrified she was, "they won't harm you unless you harm them."

"Oh shut up," she said trying to sound brave, "before any one sues us for ignoring the plastic warning, we better go."

Suigetsu smirked and took of his fedora hat, sunglasses and then his shirt. Now Karin's frozen because of something else. She quietly studied him as if she were studying a geographical map; outlining the different contours of his body and the lush color of his skin. She also noticed how flab seem to be a foreign word on him. God, kill her, Suigetsu is hot.

"Done looking?" Suigetsu asked.

Karin noticed how he is currently climbing up the metal ladder attached to the glass sheet, she traced it and found out it lead to the top of the glass sheet. So technically the glass sheets made a tank and to be specific, a topless one.

By topless, she doesn't mean the kind of topless Suigetsu is currently in.

"Fuck," she screamed, "Suigetsu, if you're trying to prove something, I believe you. Fucking get down here!"

"Too late babe," he sat on the edge of the tank, grinning down at her, "I'm going to take a swim. Open your tiny eyes ok?"

And he fell back into the water.

She felt a rush of terror running under her skin, the rush was so powerful so strong that any faster, the terror might just tear through her skin.

"I'm not going too care about him," she told herself, noting how short of breath she was, "I'm not going to bother about fucking shark boy."

Her eyes traced his movement in the water, watching how he moved with absolute lucidity through the shark infested tank. It was as if he were walking on land, completely mobile, completely free. He wasn't limited in movement.

"So he's a good swimmer," she thought, her mouth starting to jerk in all directions, her fingers twitched endlessly and the rush of fear through her legs quickened, "he isn't part shark. It's not possible."

The Great White Shark started to make its way towards him, flapping its tail fin like the motor of a torpedo boat, his mouth wide open, revealing what Karin originally expected- Razor sharp teeth.

Suigetsu did not flinch; all he did was flash his own razor sharp teeth at the on coming shark like it was some kind of greeting among them.

Then he looked at her direction and gave her a smug look, like he was trying to say: 'see I'm really part shark, bird brain.'

"Get the fuck out of there Hozuki!" she growled, her words seeping between her teeth, "you're fucking reckless in case you haven't realized!"

Suigetsu looked at her for a second before turning his attention back to the shark, only a few feet away from him. It was as if the shark had called him in some fucked up way and their communicating but sending distorted sound waves through the water.

Karin's hands were plastered against the glass sheet, her face only a few inches away from the cold surface of the barrier. It has came to her attention that she can't be in more danger than that gorgeous half naked boy in the water, next to the shark, next to the man eating, blood drinking, bone spitting, limb tearing… shark.

"Hey," she shouted, in another futile attempt to get his ass saved, "in case you haven't notice, YOU'RE NOT IMMORTAL! SO QUIT FOOLING AROUND DOOF!"

Apparently, he didn't hear her. Despite her pleading, which she hardly ever does, he decides to remain in the water, and holy crap, follow the shark and venture into the unknown darkness of the other side of the tank.

She found herself banging her fist against the glass sheet, like some mental child who didn't get the correct Barbie on Christmas, trying to stop him- although she knew he wouldn't.

"God," she dropped her hands like they were weights, "he's so… argh!"

She eyes lingered around the room and finally settles on the ladder which Suigetsu had climbed to get him in _there_.

Really? Was she going to climb up that god forsaken thing excuse for a ladder? For all she know, that 'ladder' might be aluminum crunch together to look like some hard metal. It's extremely rickety- not that she tried climbing it yet- and probably disintegrated.

Was she?

Was she going to brave through the changing air pressure as she climbed up that ladder, contract some deadly disease by touching the rusty, mossy, algae infested metal which might possibly invite a new virus in this world? It would be called 'H2N23.5643 SARSS Influenza Z2 2012 OMG LOL WTF virus', by the way.

Then, a white thing caught her eye. And upon closer inspection, she realized it was the shark coming back, without Suigetsu.

"What?" she muttered, "you _ate_ him? Are you- I'm so- argh! H2N23.5643 SARSS Influenza Z2 2012 OMG LOL WTF virus," she paused, "I don't know why I said that. But still… you are the most fucked up fish I've ever seen," she told the shark as if it were her friend, "do you know that? I'm have no clue why I'm talking to you, so quickly, but maybe it's because I'm afraid you'll pull of my arm from it's socket or scar me with your fangs. Are you a vampire?" Her voice started to shake as she neared the top, "do you have some radioactive glare that makes young, innocent, little girls like me lose their minds? Cause right now I'm talking to a shark, climbing up a ladder into a tank, with a shark. And saving some boy's ass, some boy I don't not, I DON'T NOT, care about."

Karin failed to realize that 'don't not' meant 'do'.

She felt moisture seeping into the tiny pore of her finger and gazed at the edge of the transparent glass sheet.

Honestly, she never contemplated the possibility of death; well not until she's old, which will happen in… how many decades?

But now, she's probably facing a good possibility of it.

Surprisingly, the stupid shark didn't come up to welcome her with its mouth. Oh wait, it's waiting of her to enter its mouth, her self.

"You bloody bastard!" she tried to slap the surface of the water with her hands, "bloody, bloody bastard!"

The impact of the fitful rage sent ripples in all directions. Carelessly, some of the droplets of water splashed on to the lens of her spectacles, blurring her vision. At that point in time, Karin had never felt more pathetic in her life.

Her initial intentions were to reach for her glasses and wipe off the unknown liquid that has curded her vision, but then her plans were foiled when a pair of hands reached out of the water surface and grabbed her by the wrists.

She did a quiet yelp of shock and flinched unsuccessfully.

Who wouldn't flinch and scream when a pair of arms just appeared out of the fucking water?

Karin felt like she's being used as the water being's leverage and slowly, it was pulling itself out of the water, forming into visible human features as it breaks away from the surface.

It never occurred to her that the water being, might very well be Suigetsu.

After all, he did only tell her he was part shark, part human. And neither shark, nor human have the capability of dispersing into the water.

* * *

"Temari!"

"Looks like we're not the only teenagers in the zoo," Shikamaru pointed to the pair briskly walking towards them.

Both Temari and Shikamaru recognized the female, of course; she has the most outstanding head of hair. Unusually, Karin was waving at her and smiling.

"Something, or someone made her day," Temari muttered, "what happened to miss I'm so snappy?" She recalled the time, earlier today, when she met Karin at the school gate.

"Hey Karin," Temari stood up from the bench and greeted her, "what brings you to the zoo? With…" she bent to take a better look of the guy she is with, "… him."

"Oh," Karin pointed to her male companion, "that's Shay, he studies in the High School I transferred from. We met each other only a few minutes ago, apparently he volunteers here."

Temari nodded, "really?" she tried to sound as impressed as possible, "my boyfriend is a genius with an IQ of over 200, hah, beat that," she felt like saying.

Shikamaru stood up next to Temari and for a moment, they shared eye contact. In that split moment they seem to tell each other many things. 'I thought she had a boyfriend, that Hozuki guy?' Shikamaru's eyes asked Temari's. 'I was wondering the same…' she seemed to reply.

"Oh, erm, hi Shay, I'm Temari and this is Shikamaru," she stopped abruptly, before choosing to continue, "my _boyfriend_." She cast Karin a look as she said that highly emphasized word.

"Boyfriend?" Shay repeated, "you look a little too old to be his girlfriend…"

Temari's mouth fell, slightly, "well factually, I am older than him, Shane. Is that your name? Or was it Shade, Shale, Shallow?" she clapped her hands, "oh yes, I remember! It is SHI-"

Shikamaru covered her mouth with his palm before she could even finish the word, "haha…" he tried to fake a laugh.

Temari cast him a look of pure disappointment, "haha?" she thought, "_ha ha_? What the- is _ha ha_?"

Shikamaru tried to communicate to her with his eyes like how they did previously, "you're being paranoid Temari…"

She seem to respond by widening her eyes and pushing his hand away, "just look at him!" her eyes said.

"It's Shay, darling," he gave Temari a smile, those that you would see only in toothpaste commercials, "Karin let's go, I want to show you the Ape family."

Temari looked at Shikamaru as the pair started to walk off, "men like him should die."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, "you hardly know that guy!"

Basically, Temari isn't the kind who would go crazy over the cute quarterback in the football team or the star player in the basketball team. Decades of movies have taught her that those guys- the vain, cute ones- are the worst kind of guys a girl can get. Take Troy Bolton from the High School Musical fame, the epitome of popular, annoying, vain… guy. When you look at his _dazzling_, sparkly _deep_ eyes and his sweat washed, brown hair and that _wink_ he send all too frequently, you just want to punch that pathetic bastard in the face and screw his life.

Die Troy Bolton, die!

Back to the point, ever since then, Temari never really thought well of popular guys girls drool over. Shikamaru is an exception, he might be popular, but he isn't a footballer nor a basketball player, but he is a chess player! In other words, she's going out with a popular, handsome _nerd. _

"Why is he even bringing her to the ape enclosure?" she asked, semi softly, "is this some meet the parents? Look at the resemblance!"

Karin's train of thoughts seem to have ran out of gas. All this while she felt as if she had forgotten about something, something she cast aside after meeting Shay outside the toilet and meeting the most unlikely pair to be in the zoo.

"_Look at the resemblance! Astounding._"

She stopped walking. Shay turned and looked at her.

Had she really forgotten that easily?

"_Don't you play around with me baboon boy, unless you father is some tiger, I'm going to leave._"

"_You're partially correct, Karin._"

Why did she forget to easily?

"_Karin…_"

After what he had done?

"_Karin…_"

Where are you?

"Karin!"

Suigetsu?

"KARIN!"

Karin blinked rapidly, looking around only to find Shay in front of her, holding on to her shoulders. She turned to where Shikamaru and Temari was- they were gone.

"Are you alright, Karin?"

Karin felt her cheek heating up, her lower eye lids are starting to get soaked. She didn't know why she is about to cry.

"Say that again?" her voice- reduced to a weak whimper.

"Are you alright?" Shay paused, "Karin?"

"_Karin…_"

Karin shook her head to wipe the voice out of her mind, "why does it sound so different?"

"What sounds different, Karin?" Shay asked impatiently, "are you crying, Karin?"

"Where are you?" she whispered under her breath and closed her eyes, "where are you?"

Amidst the darkness, a patch of baby blue appeared. It started as a dot which then morphed into a distorted figure, and then, a human.

She smiled, having located him. The tears rumbling down twisted and turned to adapt to its new contours, some not- so adaptable ones sipped in between her closed lips, allowing her to taste the salty liquid.

At that point in time, Karin felt guilt- stricken, thus, the tears.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Her initial intentions were to reach for her glasses and wipe off the unknown liquid that has curded her vision, but then her plans were foiled when a pair of hands reached out of the water surface and grabbed her by the wrists. _

_She did a quiet yelp of shock and flinched unsuccessfully. _

_Who wouldn't flinch and scream when a pair of arms just appeared out of the fucking water?_

_Karin felt like she's being used as the water being's leverage and slowly, it was pulling itself out of the water, forming into visible human features as it breaks away from the surface. _

_It never occurred to her that the water being, might very well be Suigetsu. _

_After all, he did only tell her he was part shark, part human. And neither shark, nor human have the capability of dispersing into the water._

"_What the hell?" Karin struggled, biting her lips with so much force, they turned into that brightest shade of red, "let go!" _

_It seemed like whoever hands it were, that thing was using her as leverage. She could feel the weight of the being on her tiny pair of wrist, it was using her to pull it up to the water surface. _

_Karin looked into the water, trying to make out who or what was trying to surface, but the water was clear, there is nothing in the water, with the exception of the shark, no other life forms!_

"_Let go," she said in her most serious tone, "let-"_

_She stopped when she noticed a head emerging from the water. It was initially coming up at a really slow pace, but all of a sudden, it rapidly shot up. Karin couldn't quite make anything of it until it stopped moving altogether. _

"_Suigetsu?" she asked, stupefied, "but…" she tried to find the bottom half of his body that was still submerged in the water, "where is the rest of you?" _

_Dismal has curbed her ability to be snappy and mean. _

_Suigetsu only grinned. Still holding on to her wrist, this time, his grip was gentler. Their faces only inches away, so much so she could feel the moisture evaporating from his skin. _

"_I didn't mean what I said about the baboon thing," he said, his voice was low and soft. _

_Had someone replaced Suigetsu with a clone while she wasn't noticing?_

"_You're actually a pretty thing," he muttered so softly, she almost didn't hear it. _

_He avoided her gaze, she noticed. Suigetsu wasn't joking around, he is truly embarrassed._

"_I-" she tried to 'fend' for herself. _

"_When I have the chance," Suigetsu cut her off. _

_There wasn't any time to think 'huh?' or give a look of hesitation, Suigetsu dove right into it knowing that this would chance certain aspects of their lives. _

_He is a risk taker. _

_Karin found herself being zero cm away from him, that fish boy had went out to cover that distance and kissed her, smack on the lips. _

"_When I have the chance," his words repeated in her mind, she knew what it meant._

_When they finally broke apart after little seconds, he turned away, refusing to meet her gaze. She never knew he could be this coy, in some way, it's charming and very schoolboy- like. _

"_Suigetsu," was all she managed to squeak out. _

_She had no idea what to do after being kissed. Honestly, she had never been kissed, not because no boys wants to, psh, she voluntarily don't want to. Sure, she had thought about kissing, but she never considered what happens after that. The kissing experience is the main thing, so why bother about the rest, right?_

"_I-" Karin opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by the jingling of keys on the other side of the door. _

"_It's unlocked?" there came a voice as the person twisted the door knob. _

_Karin immediately fell into a state of pure panic, wondering whatever would happen to her if the zoo personnel was to find out she had trespassed a non trespassing zone. What's more, she is a wanted person standing next to an even more wanted person. They might not realize it at first, but once they make out Suigetsu, they would definitely find out that she's the blaring red head with him. _

"_HEY!" Suigetsu flinched away from her, kicking his now materialized feet against the glass enclosure, "HEY!"_

_Karin watched the shark slowly swimming up towards them upon Suigetsu's command. _

"_What the hell are you doing?" Karin grabbed one of his wrists, "this is not the time for one of your silly games!"_

_He ignored her and directed the shark towards the corner of the tank closest to the door. At the same time, the zoo personnel entered the room and saw the two of them, one on the ladder and the other in the water. Apparently, he knows his news. _

"_You're that Hozuki boy," he pointed to Suigetsu, "and you," he pointed to Karin, "you're that-"_

"_SPLASH!" Suigetsu commanded the giant mammal. _

_Karin turned to face Suigetsu and tugged his arm, "what the fuck! It's not a bloody Pokemon, it's won't splash when you ask it to. It won't-"_

_Splash. _

_The shark used it muscular fin to beat against the water surface causing a huge displacement of water, in which the displaced water seemed like a tidal wave to the zoo personnel, knocking the poor guy off his feet. _

"_Get down," Suigetsu said, steadying himself on the rim of the glass tank. _

_Karin nodded and moved her legs so quickly down the ladder that they ladder was shaking like an earthquake but she didn't care. _

_She also tried not to realize that Suigetsu fell backwards, got squashed into water when he came in contact with the ground and materialized again. Karin couldn't stop to think the whole thing through when she reached the floor because Suigetsu grabbed her by the forearm and pulled her out of the room, out of the observatory and into the open. _

_Suigetsu pulled her to the back of the shark observatory, next to the horses. Karin leaned against the wall, panting madly and slowly sliding down to sit on the ground. Suigetsu peeked from the corner of the observatory to check if anyone had followed them. They weren't many people watching the horses, only a few kids, barely old enough to read the papers or watch the news. _

"_Suigetsu!" Karin said exasperatedly. _

_He spun around, thinking they have been found, only to come face to face with Karin. Instantaneously, she pushed his fedora onto his head and his sunglasses back on. _

"_Someone might recognize you," she muttered, avoiding eye contact with him. _

_He smiled, "thanks four eyes."_

"_Hah," Karin scoffed, "I'll ignore that."_

_She brought her hand up to her nose and sniffed it before making a cringing expression and briskly pulling her hand away. _

"_But I can't ignore this," she said, "it smells like a thousand year old iron. Gosh, it stinks."_

"_You need to go to the loo, four eyes?" Suigetsu asked, crossing his arms, "it's that way."_

_Karin rolled her eyes, "I know."_

_They walked to the toilet, careful not to bump into the any zoo personnels or security guards on the way, they also didn't want to come off as too suspicious. _

"_I'll wait for you here," Suigetsu said, sitting down on edge of the fountain outside the toilet," he noticed one other person there too, so he shifts to a further end, "be quick."_

_Karin turned to enter the toilet before he stopped her. _

"_Um… hey," he called out, "about just…"_

"_Yeah?" she asked, "what is it?"_

_He frowned and shook his head disappointedly, "nothing."_

_Karin entered the toilet and made a quick decision to take a fast piss. As she entered one of the many stalls, she heard another stall opening, but that didn't matter to her, she had other more important things on her mind. _

_Then a tone rang through the toilet, it was from the girl who had just exited her stall. _

"_Yeah?" she said as she picked up, "oh hi, what is it?"_

_There was a pause, the person on the other line was talking. _

_Somehow, Karin felt that the voice was a tad too familiar. _

"_Oh," the woman said, "my brother called? Which one?" she paused before gasping, "him? The older one? Are you sure?" _

_By then, Karin was briskly relieving herself, trying to dash out of the toilet to catch of a glimpse of that voice. _

"_Oh no," she said, "did you tell him who I'm with? No. Gosh, he's going to totally throw some bullshit on me, I swear. Nevermind. I'm older after all, I can totally handle a younger brother."_

_Karin heard the woman wash her hands and shut the faucet a few seconds later. She quickly pulled up her shorts and zipped it up. _

_By then, the woman was half way out the door. _

"_Ok, hah, thanks."_

_Karin unlocked the door and burst through. _

_She was gone. _

"_Maybe I can catch her on her way out…" Karin thought as she washed her hands thoroughly with soap, "I'll have to make this quick."_

_

* * *

_

"_Ok, bye," a girl exited the toilet and went up to the other person at the fountain- a guy. _

"_We haven't seen a single animal and you're already urgent," the guy said lazily, "what do you want to see first?"_

"_Well we could walk deeper into the zoo I guess," the female said after a while said, "I don't see many animals here."_

_Suigetsu recognized the voices, he is positive he have talked to the owners of the voices before, but he resisted the urge to turn and look at them. What if they saw him? He is a wanted man after all, anyone can turn him in for cash, what if they captured him and turned him in? He can never allow that to happen. _

_So he stood up, wondering why Karin was taking such a long time. Suigetsu then decided to stand outside the female toilet and wait, that way, he wouldn't bump into too many people. _

_

* * *

_

_Karin exited the toilet to find a person with a tall and slender frame standing, back faced, in front of her. Maybe this person it the owner of the voice, after all, she is using the phone. _

_Before she could tap the person's shoulder, the person pulled the phone away and flipped it shut. _

"_Excuse me," Karin said. _

_She turned around, revealing that the person wasn't a 'she' but a 'he'. _

_Somehow, that 'he' knows her. _

"_Karin?" he said, "is that you Karin?"_

_She recognized that American- Japanese accent and that handsome face, "Shay? What are you doing here? I never thought I'd meet you at a place like this."_

"_Oh, I'm volunteering here," Shay shrugged, "you?"_

"_Here with a friend…" she muttered, hoping he didn't ask who it was. _

"_Boyfriend?" he asked cheekily. _

_Karin blushed, "haha, no, I'm not here with my boyfriend…"_

_

* * *

_

_As Suigetsu closed the toilet, he could hear Karin's voice growing more and more distinct. Seems like she's talking to someone. _

_Before turning around the corner to meet her, he decided to stop and quietly listen to the conversation. _

"_haha, no, I'm not here with my boyfriend… just someone. But I'm not saying that I don't have one, I boyfriend I mean. I do. But I'm not out with him now. He's… er… well in Italy, studying for a while."_

"_Haha, you're still cute," her friend, obviously male, replied._

"_Just someone…" Suigetsu repeated in his mind, and scoffed out loud, "just someone? Not even a friend? And an Italian boyfriend? This girl really knows her way around the uncharted waters of men… geez."_

_He held his hand up in mid air, "I officially surrender," then he stuffed them into his pockets and walked out of the zoo, leaving Karin with her friend. _

_

* * *

_

Temari looked at her watch, "ho ho ho," she said, "look at the time, it's late, I better be going back."

"It's only 8," Shikamaru raised a brow, "that's not late."

She pulled him towards the entrance and exited the zoo, "well it's too late to be in a zoo. And it's past dinner time. Since when have you objected to going home early, that's awfully unlike you."

"Excuse me kids," a policeman came up to them, "we have word that a wanted suspect has been sighted in the vicinity. Have you seen this guy?"

The policeman flashed them a wanted poster with a all to familiar face on it.

"No sir," Shikamaru said calmly, "but I'll be sure to ring you if I see him."

"Ok, when you do, tell the guy that you have seen Hozuki Suigetsu at which ever place you've seen him, ok?"

Then he noticed Temari.

"Oh gosh, Lady Sabaku," the policeman bowed, "what brings you to the zoo?"

"Oh… a date," she muttered, trying not to seem embarrassed.

The policeman nodded slowly and looked at Shikamaru from head to toe. He raised his brow and bit his lips uncomfortably, as if to say 'what star quality does this young chap have to be able to take the Kazekage's sister out?'

"You mean you don't know him?" Temari was trying to brag, "he's Nara Shikamaru, child prodigy. IQ of over 200. Ring a bell? He's going to attend a government school for gifted students."

Shikamaru shot Temari a gleaming, proud look.

"Since we spotted a fugitive around, we wouldn't mind rendering our services to you and escort both you and um… Mr. Nara home."

Temari shook his head, "that's not necessarily. But there is one thing you need to know; if by some reason news of me and Shikamaru appear on the front page of the papers tomorrow, the person to leaked it would never live to see daylight. You get me?"

Shikamaru grinned, "goodnight officer."

* * *

He picked a carton of milk from the shelf and searched the packaging for the expiry date. When he is satisfied with what he's seeing, Sasuke carefully lined three cartons in his shopping basket and heading out of the aisle to the counter.

As he slowly paced out, he looked at his watch. 8.15. Getting kind of late for someone to buy milk.

It's a strange habit. Sasuke would go to the nearest market that sells his favorite brand on milk- which happens to be not very near- at a very unholy hour of the day. Somehow, he links milk to night. It seems only appropriate to carry out any activity pertaining to milk at night.

"The cow jumped over the moon," he muttered under his breath, "ah, that's why."

There weren't many people in the market, most of the people here came from the near by zoo to get some snacks before heading home.

Sasuke joined the queue to pay for his milk, he stood behind a man around his height, lightly dressed- purple tank, white- grey trousers, a fedora hat and… sunglasses? Sunglasses at night?

This poor dude has to be blind.

"Next!" The worn cashier called out to the guy in front of him, "anything else?" he asked after receiving a mere bottle of water from him.

The guy shook his head and place a two dollar note on the counter top, "keep the change," he said urgently and made a mad dash out of the supermarket.

Sasuke only managed to catch a glimpse of his face up front. Nothing very distinctive about him, sharp nose, thin lips, white hair, nothing much.

"Three dollars," the cashier asked from Sasuke.

"Hn," he place a five dollar note on the counter, "keep the change."

The cashier looked at him in dismay and then shook his head, "teenagers," he muttered.

Sasuke took the bag of milk from the cashier and coolly left the supermarket and headed for his car parked at the back of the supermarket.

But before he can go any further, he hear a series sniffs and whimpers, which caught his attention- why would someone be crying at a time and place like this?

Sasuke turned to the source of the sound and noticed a familiar red head sitting like a drunk, leaning against the hard glass window of the supermarket. Her legs were retracted towards her body, like she's curling into a ball unsuccessfully.

"Karin?" Sasuke asked the woman.

The girl looked up and noticed took several seconds to notice it is Sasuke that is before her.

Immediately, she stood up and wiped whatever that wasn't suppose to be on her face.

"Sorry," Karin said softly, "stomach ache," she lied.

Sasuke nodded slowly, "yeah, right."

"KARIN!" this boy ran up to her, panting madly like he had been chasing her, "what happened? You ran away so quickly, I-" he noticed Sasuke was there and examined the boy for head to toe.

Sasuke placed all his weight on his right feet and slotted his hands into his pockets are he watched the boy scan him through, "yes?" he asked the guy, feeling rather disturbed by the constant gaze.

From the accent in which the guy spoke in, Sasuke concluded that he is definitely not full Japanese, probably half. He also has that mixed look.

"Oh," the guy said, scratching the back of his head with one hand and the other out stretch to shake Sasuke's hand, "I'm Shay, Karin's friend. And I suppose you're her… boyfriend?"

He said 'boyfriend' with so much restrain.

Maybe it's intimidation. Maybe 'handsome' Shay has never seen anyone as attractive as or even more attractive than he is. So meeting Sasuke must be a whole new experience.

Shay is the kind of person in which some take one look and instantly hate him. He has that proud, 'I am better than anyone' look. Admittedly, he is good looking, above average, but you can literally see the pride from that attribute radiating from his face.

Sasuke shot Karin a look. She simply avoided his gazed.

"No I'm not," Sasuke told him.

He never knew Karin had a boyfriend. Did she lie to Shay?

"But I know her boyfriend," Sasuke lied to Shay, Karin is definitely more likable than this guy, "handsome chap he is. Most handsome in our school in fact, right Karin?" He didn't wait for her to reply, "all the girls are jealous of her."

Shay showed some signs of disbelief on his face, "whoa, your school must have tons of handsome fellas, you included?"

"Sasuke!"

The trio turned towards the person walking towards them. Apparently, it's Shikamaru and Temari!

"Back up," Sasuke thought, heaving a mental sigh of relief, "thank god."

Shikamaru noticed Shay and Karin in front of Sasuke, he raised his hand, "oh hey."

"I was just telling Shay here about Karin's boyfriend," Sasuke said.

"Oh," Shikamaru tired to play along, "you mean _Getsu_?"

Sasuke raised a brow and tried to restrain himself from laughing at the ridiculous name, "yeah, yeah. Um… _Getsu_, that's right. I was telling Shay how Getsu's the most handsome chap in our school."

Temari gave Sasuke is 'what kind of lie is that?' look.

"Whoa," Shay clapped his hands, "how does that boy look like? You make him seem like a god!"

"Whitish hair, purple eyes, strongly built, tall like… him," Shikamaru pointed to Sasuke, "pity he wears the same outfit everyday."

"Yeah, this purple tank and a pair of white pants," Temari added, "I guess his family is not very well off."

Sasuke frowned, "does their description seem too dangerously close to the guy I queued behind in the supermarket?"

"I just saw him not too long ago," Sasuke slowly said, still wondering if telling them this is the right thing to do, "except he was wearing this fedora and a pair of sunglasses."

"Wha-" Karin ran up to Sasuke and held his arms, "where did he go?"

* * *

4 days to sports day (not counting today)

Sai came up to Sasuke's desk that morning before first period. Sasuke had been reading a book he recently bought from their local bookstore.

"Hn?" he asked when he felt Sai looking down on him, "what is it?"

"I've been thinking about what you said," Sai said.

That caught Sasuke's attention like a magnet and a nail.

"Well," Sai continued, "I called the hospital today and said that I'll do it. I'll take the procedure."

Sasuke didn't feel the relief he was supposed to feel when he heard this, rather he felt something really depressing forming inside of him. Something aches. Maybe Sai shouldn't take the procedure.

"What the hell am I saying?" Sasuke thought, "taking the procedure would help him… then again, it wouldn't really help me…"

Sasuke faked a smile, trying to seem pleased, "great," he said with mild enthusiasm, "when is the surgery?"

"On sports day."

"So soon?" Sasuke gasped inwardly, "I wouldn't have time to reevaluate my stand in this… what if it's better if Sai doesn't take the procedure. To think I want Sai to remain emotionless for the rest of his life… well he was contented, satisfied with that, until I had to go change his mind… Fuck you Sasuke."

Sasuke racked his head for an excuse to postpone the surgery date, "what about a later date? You'll be running for our class on that day."

Sai smiled at him and nodded his head, tapped his feet, "Neji is running for me."

"Neji knows about the surgery?"

"We'll have to tell him eventually."

"Then are you going to tell Ino?"

"Since when did you care about Ino?"

"Since she started to seriously like you."

Sai looked towards Ino direction. She was looking out of the window, ah a picturesque scene, he caught her at a wrong time.

The morning sun is half way up the sky, it's rays still show signs of late morning; pinkish, orangey hues. The misty window panes of the class room was acting like a sieve, sieving out only the correct shades of every color to compliment Ino's fair complexion. The colored rays of light seem to seep into Ino's skin causing her to glow like a firefly in the day. It had an uncanny effect on a skin, almost like Edward's from asinine teenage series _Twilight_- her skin seems to sparkle like marble under the glory of the magnificent Sun, thus making her equally, or even _more_, magnificent.

Strangely, this scene seem to pose a negative impact on Sai's subconscious brain. Somehow or rather, it triggered some reaction in his body that enabled him to smile without noticing it.

The corners of his lips couldn't resist folding upwards in a very awkward manner, like something inside is forcing him to smile.

Then there is this red hot energy in his chest, like a sunflower watching the rising sun- is opens it's leaves and allowed every single ray of the ball of fire to shine upon itself.

For a moment, Sai felt like dancing, he felt like singing. He wants to wave his hands in the air and scream.

"God," Sai thought as he brought his hand to his chest, "this is too much for me to take… a heart attack?"

He consciously increased his rate of breathing to seize the unexpected urges in his body and suppress the will of his muscles to act on their own accord.

"What the hell is this?" he asked himself.

As instantly and unexpected as it came, it disappeared again.

Strange.

"Sai?" Sasuke is now half standing, half sitting, "are you ok?"

Sai nodded and released the breath he had unconsciously held for a few seconds, "I'm fine. I might be ill though."

* * *

Naruto is sitting on her seat so that I would be convenient for him to turn around and talk to Kiba which sat behind. Hinata, on the other hand, agreed to take Naruto's seat for a while as she noticed how secretive Sasuke and Sai are about their conversation.

It wasn't like her to be nosy.

Not like her at all.

But today is an exception, she is not plain old Hyuga Hinata who might turn out to her a long lost cousin called Hyuga Neji which she surprising is not too excited about, no she isn't. Now, she is Hyuga Hinata, the future's best selling novelist. And what comes with being a best selling novelist? Being a detective. And why, you might ask, does she need to be a detective? Well, basically, to listening to gossips! Her book would depict the life surrounding 5 teenage girls and so happens, what Sasuke and Sai are discreetly discussing about might concern one of two of the lives of these 5 teenage girls.

Complicated, but as long as Hinata gets it.

She tried not to make it too obvious she trying to listening in on their conversation, she did this but bending over and pretending to rummage through her bag- which is conveniently located on the aisle closest to Sasuke's seat- and continued 'rummaging' until the pair was done talking.

Not a very glamorous way to 'investigate', no, not really. But still, notably effective!

When Sai walked away, Hinata started to rerun the series of events in her mind again, just in case she forgets any details.

"Ok, so Sai decided to take a surgery after what Sasuke said," Hinata thought, nodding her head whilst doing so, "but what did Sasuke say? Hmmm? Or more importantly, what kind of surgery? Why does Sai need to take a surgery to begin with?"

Hinata cast a quick glance at Sai who have, by then, returned to his seat next to Ino.

"Well he's talking to Ino, now he's smiling, oh Ino said it's a fake smile," Hinata stroked her chin, like how a really detective would, "fake smile? Hold that thought! Sai doesn't have feelings! Yes! That's what's wrong with him; he has no feelings. But what kind of surgery can cure such a thing?"

She decided to look around for inspiration.

Hinata watched how Lee tried to talk Sasuke into lending Sakura to him for one day. Sasuke seems to ignore Lee's presence. No inspiration yet.

Anko isn't at her desk, as usual. Probably screwing Kakashi somewhere, that's why he's late- heard from Shikamaru.

"Hinata!" she scolded herself mentally, "no dirty thoughts! Carrying on…"

Chouji seems to be unlike himself today, normally he would be munching on some unknown brand of potato chips at this time of the day. However, he seems to be munching on what seems like… carrots? To improve his vision? But he has perfect eyesight. Oh, yes, maybe a diet. She'll look into that later.

Matsuri is… what is she doing?

"Matsuri, hey," Hinata knocked on Matsuri's table like it's a door, "wha'cha doin'?"

At that moment, Hinata felt oddly like some Disney character from some Disney cartoon on Disney channel. Who exactly is it? She doesn't know.

Matsuri looked up and smiled at Hinata, "oh hi, er… I'm texting… under the table. You know, in case any teacher comes in."

"Oh… texting who exactly?" Hinata asked.

Is nosiness becoming some kind of characteristic?

Matsuri seemed pretty hesitant about answering, but Hinata's keen and constant gaze pressured her.

"Temari's brother…" she said it in almost a whimper.

Juicy!

"Which brother?" Hinata pushed on further since they got this 'far'.

Yes, nosiness is officially one of her most dominant characteristics.

Matsuri raised one of her brows and made a really uncomfortable looking face, "Gaara," she paused, "but it's nothing much, he was just asking about Temari, you know, I'm like his spy… of sorts…ha."

Having gotten the real underlying message, Hinata nodded her head slowly, "yeah right," making sure it sounded really cool and 'you can't lie to me' way.

So then, she shifted her attention to Kiba and ahhh, Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto. The sensitive...

"You called who fat yesterday?" Kiba asked Naruto, out raged.

… gentle…

"Because you twisted his leg 'so easily' during football practice?" Kiba said in disbelief.

… honest…

"And you told Pein sen pai that someone kicked him?"

… reliable…

"On your way to the infirmary, you left the poor boy on the cold, hard floor because the ramen stall in the cafeteria had a short queue?"

… and totally righteous.

"I'm great, ain't I?" Naruto asked enthusiastically, "believe it!"

Kiba raised one hand, "I believe it!"

They high fived.

"Man," they said in unison, "I hate that guy."

"Ahh…" Hinata sighed, "a hundred percent god- like…"

"Did you say something Hinata?" Naruto turned towards her and asked.

Hinata blushed almost immediately, "I hate him too."

Naruto held up his hand like how Kiba just did.

Hinata slowly raised hers, not knowing if she understood him correctly.

He then brought his hand forth and slapped it against hers.

It all occurred in slow motion for her. In her mind, she imagined his hand grabbing hers and she gasped dramatically. 'Oh Naruto,' she would say, 'what are you doing?' Then Naruto would use his hand to pull her hand to pull them closer together. His hands would proceed to treading through her long, soft blue locks and curl them around his fingers. 'Hinata,' he whispered into her ear, 'I lo-'

"Ouch!"

Apparently, Naruto had high fived her with a little too much force. It felt so much like her hand free falling from a five hundred storey building and falling face flat onto a still pool of water.

Damn, that hurts.

And it interrupted her dream.

"I'm going to die an old hag without knowing the meaning of 'romance'," she thought, forlorn flooding her, "perhaps I'm just a little too dramatic today."

Another dominant characteristic- exaggeration!

"Sorry Hinata," Naruto said, taking her hand in his.

"Maybe there might be some romance…" Hinata wondered hopefully, "heheh."

"… I treated you like a guy," he continued.

If this was anime, she would turn into stone with a comedic expression on her face and cold wind would swept across her with dried leave twirling around.

"Here," he placed her hand on the table, "it isn't red anymore," he gave her a smile.

That sent her heart into a boiler and melted it.

Carrying on…

Ino and Sai. Oh, they're doing their usual lovely dovey couple-ly stuff, except Sai's referring to a yellow and black book- which reminds her of a bumble bee- and Ino's desperately trying to ignore that bumble bee book.

Sakura and Temari. Sakura is… being Sakura, she's reading some ancient book, probably Shakespeare or Jane Austen or Emily Bronte or someone else that's dead. Her partner, Temari, choose to engage in a different activity- surfing the web. Yes, that bitch brought her Mac book to school, unfair. Hinata scolded herself for not ever thinking about that.

Lastly, Neji and Tenten, in her opinion happens to be a pair of annoying people so oblivious of each other's love for each other… but fate would event-

"I have to stop watching late night movies with Temari," Hinata said, slapping herself on the hand, "ouch," yes, she slapped the hand that Naruto had slapped.

She decided to try again:

Lastly, Neji and Tenten, a pair of star crossed lovers dest-

"Damn it, damn it, damn it."

"Are you okay Hinata?" Naruto asked, as he watched her knock her fist on the table, "you're acting pretty weirdly."

She smiled weakly, "I really hate that guy."

"Oh yes," Naruto muttered, "me too, believe it."

She smiled weakly at him. What else could she do when the guy she has a major, unexpected, crush on seen all her weirdness? Today is one horrible day… and it's not ending soon. Arghh. Blame two things: Nosiness and Exaggeration. Oh wait, those are just branches of a huge tree, so rephrase: Blame Herself.

Hinata shifted her attention back to the 'star crossed lovers' just in time to catch Neji poking Tenten's temple with his index finger.

"Ow…" Tenten said whacking him on the forearm, "what the fuck was that for?"

"This," he jabbed his finger onto a worksheet on the desk, "you mean you don't know how to answer such a simple question? If you're not aware, there is something called 'the Brain' which would effectively aid you in problem solving."

At that, Hinata laughed, and she's careful enough to laugh softly. She doesn't want everyone's attention to be shifted towards her.

Then something, a little short of a miracle, just triggered in her. Something sparkly like… inspiration!

Immediately, she smacked herself on the forehead for not thinking of it earlier.

"The Brain," she muttered, "it secretes hormones to enable the person to have a certain reaction to a stimulus, a.k.a to have emotions! Sai is going to perform surgery on his-" she gasped at the sudden realization that the whole thing might be even worse than she had originally anticipated, "his brain… but then won't you need like a transplant for that? If so…" she noted that her breathing rate has drastically increased, "then wouldn't he forget everything he already knows?"

By then, her breathing became so rapid, some outsider might thinks she's suffering from an asthmatic attack.

"Then he would forgot her, Sasuke, Neji, Shino, Ino and not to mention… the Bumblebee book!" Hinata thought.

No matter how much oxygen she took in, there seem to be some blockage in the pathway for oxygen to flow into her brain. And especially since 5 gajillion thoughts are currently speeding by her brain, she can't help but…

"OH MY GOD!" Naruto screamed, "HINATA ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"

"No she's not douche," Kiba said, "she totally fainted."

The classmates saw this as a tragedy. Hinata her never fainted in front of them before.

Her friends, rather, saw this as an opportunity.

"Take her to the infirmary damn it!" Temari exclaimed, trying not to sound excited.

For a few seconds, Naruto just gave her a stupefied look, but then it occurred to him that Hinata had to be treated.

So he got her over his shoulder and held her there with one arm. Who knew Naruto's this strong. A full grown girl on one shoulder, I say!

Ino rolled her eyes and shook her head as she saw this, "so unromantic."

"And…" Kiba stopped Naruto before he could dramatically waltz out of the class room with an unconscious girl on his shoulder, "no stopping for ramen."

Naruto grinned, "ok."

As he turned to leave, Kiba stopped him again.

"I'm not kidding."

* * *

Temari felt a kick against the back of her chair, she turned around and found Ino looking at her expectantly. They stared at each other neither one starting the conversation.

A few seconds passed and Ino said nothing, but look at her with a freaky expression. So Temari turned back and resumed what she was originally doing.

But there was another kick.

"What?" Temari turned around and looked at Ino, thoroughly annoyed by her, "say something!"

"You're going out with Shikamaru?" Ino asked, her face radiating with light.

"Yeah, yeah," she nodded, but then halted abruptly when what Ino said actually sank in, "how did you- who told- did Karin tell you this?"

Ino raised a brow, as if to repeat Karin's name with her eyes. She leaned forward so that she's closer to Temari.

"Temari dear, Karin didn't come to school today," Ino said, calmly with a tint of suspicion in her voice, "her friends said that she's down with fever. Don't do you care so much?"

"Oh nothing," Temari said, "so are her parents going over to take care of her?"

Ino looked at Temari with a horrified expression, "Temari, she's alone here."

"What?"

"Her elder sister used to attend Konoha East High School," Ino explained, "from what I've heard, her sister started to go missing half way through her sophomore year. Her parents went to look for that poor girl and soon after her parents went missing too."

"Maybe they're dead," Temari interrupted, "I mean, they're adults, they would be able to find their way back."

Ino just shook her head, "Karin's been living alone all this while with no family and relatives. The flat she lives in used to be one of the grandest flats in her area until the place became condemned a few years back and started to house foreign worker who have no place to go."

"Sounds like something out of a story book," Temari nodded, "but they're just rumors, have you actually went to see her place?"

Ino shook her head, "maybe you can visit her."

Temari knew that Ino clearly meant that as a joke. But somehow, it didn't feel like one.

Maybe there's something asking her to visit Karin. There's something that wants her to know more about Karin. No, it's not her curiosity, she long abolished that trait in her life.

Maybe it's fate that's calling her.

Maybe it wants her to help Karin.

Condemned flat? Sounds fun.

* * *

It was half way to the infirmary when Hinata came back to conscience, probably because it's impossible to lay unconscious on Naruto's shoulders, having to consistently bob up and down as he trots to the infirmary.

Took her quite a while to realize that she's actually on Naruto's shoulder, on her way to the infirmary. Took her quite some effort to resist the urge to just pass out again. Took her the most effort to not blush too hard.

The journey there was tiring for her, lots of effort wasted to control her emotions.

Oh, yes. Emotions.

She finally recalled her last few thoughts before passing out.

"Hinata?" Naruto stopped walking, "you awake?"

"Oh, umm… yeah, Naruto… kun," she mentally slapped herself for being so naturally shy.

"We're reaching the infirmary soon, so hold on, ok?"

What if she didn't have emotions? How would it feel?

Like nothing.

She wouldn't be able to feel anything, so if she really didn't have emotions, she would feel a hundred percent neutral about the whole situation.

Is that supposed to be good?

Or bad?

Can't tell.

But the more important question is: How would she feel is someone she cared about comes back not knowing who she is?

Who are the people she cared about?

Her father.

Her mother.

Hanabi, even though she's maturing into a bitch.

Neji, maybe, since they're unofficial cousins.

So far, the above listed are her family and relatives, the top in the pyramid of people she cared about.

Then the second level of people she cared about: her close friends.

Sakura.

Ino.

Tenten.

Temari.

Sai, her arty friend.

Third level: acquaintances.

Shikamaru, demoted to this level ever since Naruto said he preferred his teaching.

Sasuke, they can't click.

Naruto, would be promoted to second level if he becomes her boyfriend! Not that she's eager for that to happen… but everyone needs to elevate themselves sometimes. Then maybe one day, he'd be counted in the highest level- if you know what I mean, which is highly impossible.

Looking from the sibling to sibling perspective. How would Sasuke, Shino and Neji feel about Sai not remembering them? Hmm…

"If Hanabi doesn't remember who I am…" Hinata thought, "serve that bitch right for forgetting the god I have been to her. I can't believe she got a boyfriend before me! It's logically incorrect for the younger sibling to have a beau before the older sibling. It's embarrassing, scarring to one's dignity!" Hinata frowned and shook her head, "I'm going to permanently blind Konohamaru for his unwise decision to choose Hanabi."

Carrying on… looking from the parent to child perspective. How would Sai's parents feel about Sai not remember them? Hmm…

"I don't have a child, how am I expecting myself to know?" Hinata questioned herself, "but Sai's foster parents are always out of town, they're never home… I guess they wouldn't mind that much is Sai ever forgets them."

Looking from girlfriend to boyfriend perspective. How would Ino feel if Sai were to forget her?

"This sucks," Hinata told herself, "I don't have a boyfriend how am I supposed to know. I don't have a boyfriend. I hate this!"

"Hinata," Naruto said, "I'm going to flip you over like those cool guys in the action drama shows prepare to be amazed…"

"What? I thou- WHOA!..."

First, it was her hand that felt like it fell flat on a water surface from high ground, but this time, it's her whole freaking body! How much harm can Naruto do to her?

Apparently, this much.

* * *

"Lunch! Youthful lunch!" Lee shouted as the lunch bell rang.

Everyone started to get up, trying to make it to the cafeteria in time to avoid the long queues. Sakura was the first one to stand up amongst the four girls and she got up the most dramatically, I must add.

Temari got a shock when Sakura slammed her book down.

"Whoa," Temari cried, "relax, what's gotten you so worked up?"

"Naruto," Sakura hissed, "he is a rough guy and Hinata is a fragile girl. I'm starting to doubt our 'wonderful' decision. What if he abandons her like how he did to that guy in his football team?"

Temari gave Sakura a quizzical look, "what guy? And besides, if he does something to hurt her, he would be severely dealt with!"

"Oh yes," Ino included herself into the conversation, "your army in Suna can totally rush here just to punish a guy who's being mean to your friend… the point is, Sakura, although Naruto is clumsy, careless, dumb and…"

"Pathetic?" Sakura offered.

Ino nodded, "yes, that, I trust he would treat Hinata like a princess. So calm down. What could go wrong? And," Ino turned around frantically, "where's Tenten panda bear?"

"Queuing, it's lunch remember?"

She felt a presence lingering behind her, but hey, it's the cafeteria, presences linger literally everywhere! But this presence is somewhat persistent, like it's rooted there and not willing to budge and move on like all the other presences around. Creepy, but she kind of got the idea who it might be from the little mutters of 'troublesome' or 'what a drag'.

"You finally made up with Chouji, I see," Temari said as he gave up standing behind her like some demented grim reaper and sat next to her with his tray of 'goodies', "you do realize he is sitting within a five foot radius of me."

Shikamaru slight laughed, more like a gruff laugh, "I felt like saying something romantic, but then it occurred to me that my movie junkie of a girlfriend might find it absolutely cheesy, which might in turn spoil the mood."

She looked at him side way and huffed out a breath of air, "what mood you say?"

Tenten, who sat opposite Temari was grinning like a wild idiot, "_someone's got a boyfriend, someone's got a boyfriend. And I know who! I know who_!" She sang.

Her blond friend rolled her eyes, "that's so childish Tenten."

Tenten stuck out her tongue, "you're just embarrassed, wait until mom and dad hears about this! They'll totally- oh, wait I forgot, you're…"

"Mom and dad will?" Temari interrupted her, playing her food, refusing eye contact, "kill me? Hah, they don't bother to call me these days…"

"They felt bad about not telling this to you earlier," Tenten explained, "they told me that they were so ashamed, they dare not see you, much less hear your voice. Temari, you have to understand."

She shifted and leaned her arm on Shikamaru's like he is a pole, "I rejected interviews, television appearances press conferences so that they can lead a normal life. I still care about them if they haven't realized, I mean, hello! They freaking brought me up! Just because I'm the missing daughter of some dead kazekage doesn't mean I'm going to throw all the effort raising me up away!" Temari covered her eyes with one hand and relentlessly sighed, dropping her shoulders simultaneously.

Shikamaru just sat there, pretending that he had wore Harry Potter's invisible cloak, not wanting to be involved with family and foster family's matters. As much as he tried to ignore it, Temari's pressure on his arm made it impossible for him to ignore her there. So, instead of voicing out his opinions, he decided to mentally talk to a little person in his head to prevent intervention into matters that don't particularly matter or involve him. And, he didn't want to come cross as trying to invade Temari's privacy- although, he gleefully grinned, she's his _girlfriend_.

Shikamaru mentally slapped himself, "don't overreact. It's normal…"he thought, but he couldn't hold a straight face for long and broke into a tiny grin soon, "troublesome."

To him, having a girlfriend is like owning a limited edition book. You buy it, bring it home, paste a sticker with your name on it on to the book and sit down, look at it's cover and wonder about your luck.

So the title 'girlfriend' is just a sticker with the word written on it which you paste on your female beau.

But then again, stickers can be easily torn off as it is pasted.

"Gosh the queue was freaking long!" Sakura said in an exasperated tone as she settle her tray and took a seat next to Temari, "I sense a tense atmosphere, what's up?"

When he looked at Sakura, he immediately saw the imaginary sticker plastered across her forehead. He laughed at the absurdity of his imagination to himself and continued to eat his lunch.

"One day," Shikamaru thought, "that Sticker might just peel off. Who then, would take Sasuke's place in her heart?" he started to wonder about all the moderately good looking guys he knew, "that Shay guy comes close…"

"We're not talking about anything tense," Temari said, "just some legal matters."

Sakura nodded and turned towards the corridor, "I'm still worried about Hinata."

Tenten jolted up like she had some great revelation, "let's have a bet!"

"A bet?" Sakura repeated.

The girl nodded, "we bet the outcome of their time spent in the infirmary! It's either he confesses first, or she confesses first. Stakes? Well… a dare."

"Let me stop you for a second," Sakura looked around, "where's Ino?"

Shikamaru points towards a direction where the cafeteria is the most crowded, "there with the brothers and… fangirls. She's supposedly safeguarding her boyfriend…"

"You make her seem like some three headed dog," Temari said.

He nodded, playing with his food, "Ceberus," he looked towards the stalls, "it's going to take Chouji a very long time to reach the front of the queue. Let's carry on with the troublesome bet."

Sakura took out a pen paper, "ok, Tenten, what do you bet on?"

"Well, lets see… ok. Naruto would confess, although Naruto is dense, I believe he is brave enough to tell Hinata how he feels," Tenten said with full confidence, "Sakura? Yourself?"

Sakura thought for a moment, tapping the edge of the pen on her lower lips, "well, I have to go with Tenten on this one; Naruto confesses."

Suddenly, Tenten bounced on her seat and banged her fist against the table top, at the same time shocking everyone on the same table. The food were also shocked as they themselves hopped up a centimeter on the spot. That left the cups of fizzy drinks shaking madly with it's contents shaking with so much vigor, the water molecules might be experiencing a tsunami.

"What?" Temari almost screamed, she's not one to take shocks.

Tenten covered her mouth with one hand, expressing her apologies, "ooops, I got too excited."

"About what?" Shikamaru asked, grabbing all the near by cups to stop them from shaking so dangerously.

"You two," she pointed to Shikamaru and Temari, "have to bet that Hinata confesses."

They both gave her a similar 'what the hell' expression.

"You know the chances Hinata would confess first," Shikamaru reasoned with Tenten, hoping to get a better bet, "it's like one to a thousand."

"At least it's a one not a none!" Tenten chirped, "oh, that rhymed!"

Temari sighed exasperately again, muttering curses under her breath about her damned luck, "don't make us do something stupid if we lose. And on behalf of him, not something taxing. He-"

"We," he corrected her.

"He. How do you even know what I'm going to say?"

"Again, I might say something to ruin the atmosphere."

"Again, there is no such atmosphere, non existent in a cafeteria!" Temari turned back to her girl friends, waiting patiently opposite her, whispering about something called 'The Fight', "anyway, he-"

"We."

"Whatever, we absolutely hate hard work," Temari rolled her eyes and turned to him, "see how that doesn't make sense? I am actually hardworking."

Shikamaru nodded, "I admit you are, but you don't tell me you absolute don't hate hardwork. In simpler, less complicated terms, don't tell me you like hardwork."

"I…" she frowned, "I… what's taking Chouji so long?"

* * *

The thermometer beeped endlessly, the nurse picked it up and looked at the reading before nodded and keeping it away.

"You're fine," she told Hinata, who is currently lying on one of the beds in the infirmary, "just rest a little while. Do you need anything to eat? Like some biscuits? Crackers? It's your lunch time, isn't it?"

Naruto got up from the chair next to the bed and dug his pockets, "oh nevermind, I'll go get the food… what do you want?"

"Biscuits? Those round ones…" Hinata murmured, "thanks."

As Naruto turned to leave, the nurse stopped him, "hey, I'll go get the food, you stay here and watch her, she might faint again. I have a pass," she flashed a white and red card, "it sort of allows me to jump queues, so I'll be quick."

Naruto gasped and looked at the card more intently, "where can I get one?"

The nurse laughed as she picked her wallet from her purse and headed towards the door, "only staff members get it. I'll be quick."

With that, she left the room, leaving Hinata alone with Naruto and the thermometer.

She noticed Naruto sitting there, being unusually silent, fiddling with his thumbs and tapping his feet on the floor. Hinata looked away embarrassed at her lack of initiative and wit to start a conversation.

"He offered to get the food cause he wanted to leave," Hinata thought about it solemnly, "silence is never so torturous!"

"So…" Naruto said, breaking the aw so torturous silence, "how are you feeling?"

To avoid the awkwardness between the two of them, Hinata decided that it would be better if she sat up instead of lay down.

"Better I guess," she smiled as sweetly as she could, hoping her smile had the same effect as how his smile had on her, "it's something that happens really often, the lack of oxygen in your head and then your brain… you brain…"

Oh, yes, she is once again reminded of the brain transplant. And her apparent need for a boyfriend. Gosh.

"Your brain what?" Naruto asked, after she stopped her sentence mid way.

"Oh," she shook her head, "your brain can't function properly without oxygen, it's like food to your brain."

Naruto nodded, "am I suppose to find that familiar and go 'oh yes, we learnt that in physics…' or am I suppose to be like 'wow, Hinata, you read ahead!' which?"

Hinata laughed, "the first, but we didn't learn it in physics, it's biology."

Her attempts to eradicate awkwardness has lasted this long… Oh maybe not.

"Naruto… kun," Hinata looked away to avoid the ever dreadful eye contact, "this might sound strange but… if someone you cared about, someone you lo-"

She stopped herself from using the 'sensitive' word around him.

"… someone you like, what if that someone comes up to you one day and introduces her or himself to you like you guys never met before, but you guys did… and at some point, even shared a profound relationship with?"

Naruto, who failed to realize that it was a serious question, started to laugh, "well, I'll think I'm on some tv show, where you trick someone and then this guy pops out of no where screaming 'you got punk'd!' I would be so embarrassed."

If she were a puppet on strings, her immediate react to this would be her lying on the floor, limp and unable to move, because her puppeteer released the strings.

This let down, seemed pretty obvious as Naruto cleared his throat and decided to reply this question again, seriously.

"Seriously, I would be pretty devastated," Naruto said, "you have no right to earase your memory like that without everyone's permission, cause at the end of the day, the ones you're hurting most are the ones that are closest to you. And if you can remember, these are the people that you never want to hurt. Believe it, it's painful."

Hinata looked down at her hands, she didn't know why she did that, it's just instinctive.

"Hinata," Naruto touched her shoulder, "I need to tell you something very important. Don't laugh, don't… don't do anything that would hurt me. I think I like…"

* * *

They got up to clear the table. Just then Shikamaru came to Temari's side as she walked towards the tray disposal chute and stopped her.

"Oh yes," he said, "before I forget, 'The Afternoon Talkshow' is persistent about you appearing on their show. They're always sending flowers and cards to my door thinking I can persuade you to appear. Troublesome, but I told them I'd ask you so that they can get off my back. So, here, I'm asking you. Do you want to appear of not?"

Temari thought about it for awhile. 'The Afternooon Talkshow' have been very consistent with the invitation. They're always ringing her mobile, her brother's mobile, now Shikamaru's mobile to get her to appear as a guest on their show. She has always gave a flat out 'no' for her answer, but they're still asking.

"I'll think about it," she said, "I have other important things on my mind."

"Like? Or am I prying too much?"

"No," Temari smiled as she watched her lunch tray disappear down the dirty chute, "does condemned flat interest you?"

* * *

They didn't get a chance to ask Hinata about her time in the infirmary with Naruto after lunch as she came in halfway through the period after the break.

They also didn't get the chance to write a note to Hinata to ask her about it, because the periods that follow lunch are periods with hawk eyed teachers.

They too didn't get the chance to ask Hinata about it between classes because she took that time to go to the ladies.

Now, it's the end of school and they still don't get to ask Hinata; Sakura's being called away by Sasuke, Tenten's rushing to queue up for a new video game and Temari, with Shikamaru, are off to Karin's threshold.

So Hinata is left with Ino, who has no idea about the bet, to return to the dreary confinements of their apartment.

What a boring life.

Sasuke brought Sakura into his car, something that isn't very unusual.

He held her hand in his as he drove out of school- nothing strange.

Then, he drove them to this park and brought her to his empty bench and invited her to sit down next to him- ok, not out of the blue.

"We need to talk," he told her.

Wait! This is not normal.

"That's the cliché of 'I want to break up'," Sakura said skeptically.

Sasuke let go of her hand and fold his arms, leaning backwards against the bench and looking at her with the most intent eyes.

"Hn," he grumbled softly under his breath, "and what do you think about a break up?"

Sakura thought for a while. So happens, she's not the kind that would weep over a guy when they break up, she would just take it as it comes, accept her fate and continue breathing. She can't stop breathing because she is single, that isn't logical.

But this is slightly tragic. A relationship that lasted not more than a month ended so abruptly. Was she that unbearable? Would it hurt her if Sasuke couldn't tolerate her anymore?

It shouldn't.

After all, there wasn't anything special going on between them. He just found her different and asked her out. She just found him with intact sanity and agreed to go out.

Did they share a common interest? Medieval books? Nah, he picked it up because of her- goes to show how romantic he can be. Intelligence? They don't talk much about studies around each other. What else?

Nothing.

So, she started to wonder, was anything suppose to come out from this relationship?

Did it change her life?

Did it change his life?

Were they happier now that they got each other?

No.

No.

No.

Was she going to suffer a tragic heartbreak because of this break up?

Er… not likely.

"You want the truth?" Sakura asked him, unsure of what he would think of a break up.

He nodded, not uttering a word.

"I'm perfectly fine with it, Sasuke," Sakura said, "sorry if that offended you, insulted you, made you angry… but I did ask if you wanted the truth and yes, here's the truth Sasuke. I am not much more happy because of this relationship and I don't feel anymore complete than I originally was. The only difference would be the fangirls, you have lesser people who love you and I have more people who hate me. That's it."

For a moment there, Sasuke couldn't believe his ears. It didn't show though, he kept a straight, undeterred face throughout it. But then, he reminded himself that this is Haruno Sakura, a smart, educated, professional young lady. Girls, or ladies like her wouldn't cry for five nights because they got dumped by their boyfriend.

Truthfully, that hurt him a little. Like a paper cut on the heart, minor injury and momentary pain.

To think he was pretty much useless to her, just a new ranking.

'Oh this is Sasuke,' he imagined her introducing him to a friend, 'he's my boyfriend. But it doesn't make me feel very different, nor does it make me different. I can sometimes pretend he isn't there. I don't need him. I didn't want him either, he just… came.'

Then again, Sakura isn't one to brag about such things.

"So, we're through?" he asked her to clarify matters, "over?"

Sakura nodded, somewhat fine with the arrangement, "yeah, nobody got hurt, so… good. So what do we do now? Talk as friends?"

Sasuke smiled slightly and stood up shoving his hands into his pockets, "as a friend, do you want me to drive you home?"

* * *

They stopped in front of a run down building. It's paint practically peeling off the walls, with moss growing in abundance in every corner and discoloration of the intact paint due to heavy rain falls. Even the glass windows, which should be taken care of by the occupants, are stained so bad, it's black.

"When you said condemned," Shikamaru said, getting out of the vehicle after Temari, "you really meant it. It's like..."

"A scene out of the horror movie?" Temari finished the sentence for him.

Shikamaru gave her a thumbs up, "telekinesis."

"No, wild guess," she corrected, "what are we waiting for? Let's get going."

Shikamaru followed her into the building after instructing his butler to return to pick them when he calls. Butlers can be so useful.

They entered a lift that they didn't quite trust, but after looking around for a staircase, they realized that the rickety thing was their only was up.

The trip up wasn't as traumatizing and life endangering as they had originally anticipated. Although Temari would've loved the thrill of it, dying in the lift of a condemned flat with your genius boyfriend, who would've been too lazy to save their life, isn't romantic.

"I can't believe a princess like Karin lives in this… this place," Temari couldn't find the proper words to describe such a dump, "pretty unexpected."

The doors of the lift opened to reveal a sight they have long prepared to witness since they step foot into the building.

"Ino wasn't exaggerating when she described this place," Shikamaru said, "I thought they were just rumors, but apparently, rumors can't make this place look any worse."

Temari searched her pocket for a slip of paper and pulled it out once she found it, she carefully read it and pointed to the door on the furthest end of the corridor, "that should be her door."

Shikamaru held her forearm, "don't you think it's a little too rude for us to show up unannounced?"

Temari pretended to think for a while, "yeah, perhaps you're right. So maybe you stay here and only I show up unannounced, how's that for you?"

He rolled his eyes, muttered his catch phrase and started walking before her. The brave guy even took the initiative to press the door bell with his bare finger, although it seems as though generations of lizards laid their eggs upon it.

It took several minutes before the door swung open to reveal Karin dressed in every day t- shirt and shorts. She seemed pretty surprised to see them at first, her expression is similar to that of a sixteen year old girl who had just received her car during her sweet sixteen birthday party.

But then, her pretty, surprised face turned sour once she realized it was two of Ino's close friends standing at her door way, visiting her.

"What do you want?" Karin snapped, prepping herself to slam the door at any unreasonable requests, "came to invite me to your wedding? Sorry, I'm not well enough to attend. Thank you. Bye."

She started to close the door but Temari stopped her in time.

"Karin," she raised her voice, "I was… genuinely worried about you. I'm not trying to pry into your private matters, I'm just-"

Shikamaru look at her with a strange expression, "you're hardly so diplomatic."

"Shut up," she nudged him, "I just-"

"I don't need your concern," Karin interrupted her, "I just caught a fever because I stood in the rain too long yesterday. That's all, I'll be fine soon."

Shikamaru held the edge of the door before Karin could try to close it, "can we come in?"

Karin wanted to say no, but then she saw the lift doors open, her neighbors were coming home. She sighed at her bad luck and widened the door to let them in.

"Bring your shoes in too," Karin warned them, "unless you want them stolen. Quick."

Shikamaru and Temari obeyed and carefully arranged their shoes next to the door when they're inside. Karin locked the door with multiple locks and drew the curtains shut, before turning to face her school mates.

They were awing at the contrast of her house interior compared to the corridor and the building.

Karin led them to the living room, made them sit on the couch, slouched in her own single seater couch and waited for them to say something.

"So you live alone," Temari said.

Karin looked around with an astonished look on her face, "whoa, really? I really haven't noticed."

Temari shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She bit her lips to prevent herself from screaming any cusses into Karin's face.

"We are here to check up on you," Shikamaru went straight in and killed the silence, "I believe your 'fever' isn't the only thing keeping you at home, sniffing and frowning- what happened?"

"What what happened?" Karin snapped angrily, "I am sick therefore I'm sniffing and frowning. What other reason you think there'd be?"

Temari raised her brow and gave Karin a quizzical look as if asking: do you really want me to tell you?

Karin mouth just gapped open like she's ready to protest as soon as either of them said a word. She knew exactly what other reason there might be, but she didn't want to accept herself as being a 'depressed love sick girl', it wasn't even love to begin with, more like infatuation, puppy love- you get what I mean.

Logically, scientifically, or from what she was told, nobody, absolutely nobody, no matter how mystical, can fall in love with another without being insane.

Then are Shikamaru and Temari insane? After all, it's only first term, or the end of it, and they're already together like how a happy couple should be.

"These kinds of things don't last long," she told herself, "these kinds of things simply don't exist. These two are going to break up sooner or later."

"If you're thinking that Suigetsu is the core reason," she decided to speak, since no one is taking the initiative, "then you're horridly mistaken. I don't give a fucking damn where that fucker is."

Somehow, throughout this rather short speech, something in her snapped, she can't control her facial expression anymore. She struggle to go against the huge frown her muscles inclined to, no one can know how she felt. But these futile efforts were in vain; as currently, her lips are sagged into a huge upside down smile.

"… That fish head totally kissed me and then he left without saying a word!" she started to seem like she's complaining rather than denying, "he left me there, standing stupidly like a fool in the middle of a zoo! I'm fine with that, totally, completely, entirely alright with it… really, nothings wrong. I'm not upset with him, I'm-" she stopped herself before she can continue any longer, "get out."

Temari jerked her head, "get out?"

"I don't need to tell you guys this," Karin chided, "it's not like it's any of your business to begin with. As you see," she noted her voice was getting weirdly shaky, "I'm competent and… emotionally stable enough to handle this situation- if there is a situation… and even if there's a situation… what can you do about it?"

Shikamaru looked at Temari with the exact same looking she's using to look at him. They seem to be communicating without words now and inexplicably, they get what the other is thinking.

"This may sound cliché and a hundred percent cheesy, but hear me out," Temari placed one hand on Karin's knee cap like a consoling friend, "even though you're not in a very good relationship with my friend, Ino, it doesn't mean that we can't be…" she tried to find the courage in her to complete the cheesy sentence with the cheesiest word, "… friends," she sighed, "I want to help you, I can help you, honestly don't know why, but I figured maybe because we're… friends and theoretically, friends help one another, right?"

It'll be down right embarrassing if Karin replied 'no'.

"No," Karin muttered.

Damn, she has to be so rebellious.

Shikamaru shrugged and laughed inwardly, amused as Temari's currently plight. He watched the hairs on her body stand on its ends, incredibly annoyed and thoroughly frustrated.

"Karin," Temari tried to sound as gentle as possible, she knows she's close to her goal, so she can't ruin it now, "you wouldn't want me to drain out on all my cheese today, would you?"

"Yes, I would."

Shikamaru laughed.

"That's a rhetorical question!" Temari's voice went a little higher, she turned to Shikamaru, "fucking stop laughing damn it! You're a genius and you're not doing anything to help me progress with this! You might as well not be here!"

He sighed and shifted his position so that he could get be more comfortably seated when he convinces Karin to tell them what's wrong.

"You said, he kissed you and he left," Shikamaru said as if he's considering the whole situation and putting himself in her shoes, "very jerk- like I must say, no offence, but what kind of bastard does that?"

"Well," Temari snapped, "some guy who laughs at his-"

She stopped because she felt an acute pain on her thigh. Shikamaru had just shifted his hand close to her and pinched her on her thigh so that her intrusion wouldn't distract Karin.

It was a perverted move, he must admit, but her thigh was the closest to his hand. Shikamaru didn't want to make any vigorous, big movements that would deviate Karin's attention from him.

"I fucking hate those kind of men," Karin started to fall into Shikamaru's psychological trap, "they bloody lead you to thinking that they care about you and then they fucking disappear, like literally, without saying a fucking word and leave you so fucking heartbroken."

Bingo! He hit the jackpot! And in such a short time!

Note that the keyword was 'heartbroken', that is what is wrong with her.

He grinned slightly upon feeling Temari's disbelieved glance on him.

"Haha," Shikamaru thought to himself, "when you thought I wasn't helping, I was actually strategizing. TEEHEE Temari, this was troublesome, but you owe me one."

Now, to get her to directly admit it.

"Heartbroken?" he asked, sounding genuinely interested, "it can't be that severe!"

Temari rolled her eyes when she realized Shikamaru's asinine plan, "she has to be retarded to fall for that."

Karin's eyes widened, "are you kidding? It hurts like hell! I feel like my heart is slowly merging with my head, telling me that there's nothing left for me. It's like my heart has been ripped from my chest and placed into a shredder to be shredded into pieces. And I desperately want to do that because it's my heart that's causing me so much pain, but then I can't tear it out because my brain tells me that's fucking wrong. That makes me want to tear out that fucker too, cause that fucker failed to make me realize that I don't really love him, I just temporarily like him because he's the first guy who had taken a glance of me and decided to look back. He made me feel pretty because he looked back. But now that I think of it, he might have looked back because he has never seen someone so ugly. That makes me want to fucking rip my face off. I-"

Karin stopped when she felt something coarse on her face. It was a tissue, Temari got it from the near by tissue box and is currently helping her wipe her face with it.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Karin asked, her voice being relatively weak.

Temari's face wasn't the same annoyed face as before, it is considerably overwhelmed with worry, concern and sincerity. It is so hardly someone sees Temari this gentle and caring towards some else, she normally don't display this and even if she does, there is a ninety percent chance that she's acting again.

This time, even Shikamaru can't tell if she's pretending or not.

"I'm not crying," Karin insisted, frowning as best as she can despite the fact that she is really in tears, "I won't cry because of a guy, it's not correct…"

Nobody has been so concern about Karin before, and therefore, a small proportion of why she is crying would go to feeling touched about their persistent attempts to console her, to help her see that, this time, she fell way too deep.

Shikamaru stood up, knowing that it's high time he excused himself, "I'll be in the kitchen, crying is… too troublesome for me to handle."

That left Temari and Karin alone in the living room.

"You know Karin," Temari murmured softly as Karin wiped off her tears, "Suigetsu must have a reason as to why he left without a word. Maybe someone recognized him? When you want to understand something, you must think from all possible angles, you know that don't you? Have you ever stopped to wonder if playing around with you is the reason why he left?"

Karin said nothing. She had never thought of such a scenario before, because all this while, she's been busy denying how she felt and chucking all the unhappiness in one room in her heart until the room became too overcrowded, the door just burst open.

At this point, Karin realized she had lost what's left of her dignity. It isn't possible for her to feel anymore ashamed to go beyond this point, so what the heck?

She looked up and faced Temari, "you said you could help me…"

* * *

3 days to sports day:

"Cue 1, 2, 3 we're on air!"

"Good Afternoon Japan! Welcome to 'The Afternoon Talkshow' the no. 1 talkshow in Japan! We are your hosts, I am Tamaki Suou and this is Takumi Usui"

"Yo," Usui grinned at the camera.

Fangirls in the studio screamed in delight at Usui's charming smile.

"Today," Usui started to speak, "we have Temari Ten in the studios, she was earlier found to be the lost daughter of the late Kazekage and the next in line to take the place as Sunakagure's next Kazekage."

"Please welcome," Suou paused for effect, "TEMARI!"

The crowd cheered as Temari stepped on set from the side curtains and made her way to the two hosts in the middle. She made a mental note to avoid eye to lens contact with the cameras. Never in her life had she imagined herself to be in front of the camera and not behind it instead. Has the world finally turned upside down?

Suou, the more lively one, beckoned her to take a seat on one of the available couches on set.

When the audience seemed to have seized their loud chattering and hollering, then the show actually started.

"Good afternoon, Temari," Suou said with a bright smile on his face, "I- no actually- _everyone _has a lot of questions to ask you. Where do we start Usui?"

Usui took a fucking thick deck of cue cards and flipped through several to sieve out the first question to be ever asked to Temari by the media.

He stopped after a few flips and handed the card to Suou. The enthusiastic one nodded like crazy when he saw the question.

"Ok, we would like to know how you felt hearing that the pair of adults that brought you up weren't your real parents," Suou said carefully, trying not to hit a sensitive spot with this sensitive topic.

Thankfully, Shikamaru had accurately spotted most of the questions they were going to ask and helped her device a simple answer that wouldn't give away too much, but at the same time give people what they want to hear.

"Well, I wasn't particularly shocked," Temari replied, "I started to notice zero resemblance between me and my parents and considered that I am an adopted child at an early age. But that didn't change my perception or how I felt about them. Although I am adopted, they treated me like their own flesh and blood."

Usui nodded, as if having interest in her answer; however, he was more concentrated on asking the next question. It seems that he is as eager as she was to get off camera.

"Next question," Usui, the cool, charming one, said, "you grew up in Konoha, but you biologically belong to Suna, where to do intend to continue living in?"

"Konoha, I'm studying here."

It's Suou's turn to ask questions, "can you verify the authenticity of the rumor that you're going to hand the Kazekage position to Sabaku No Gaara, you're youngest brother?"

Temari nodded, "yes, I can confirm, that those 'rumors' are true, Gaara is to be the next Kazekage."

"Then would you be holding any position in the Suna Council Board?"

"That hasn't been decided yet."

"And regarding the incident that uncovered your true identity," Suou jumped right into the next question, "I read that a group of your high school friends rescued you. One of them a spy, two geniuses, a gang of Seniors, rich boys and close girl friends," he paused to catch his breath, "what do you have to say about this combination?"

Temari smiled at the weirdly constructed question, "well, if this were a movie, it'd be a blockbuster."

The two hosts laughed, although Usui did it very mildly.

"Speaking of movies," Usui continued shortly, "you're a member of a Movie Making Society in your school. Does that mean you're interested in movie making and would be pursuing a career in this field?"

"You can say that," Temari said, "I'm very passionate about filming, but I don't intend to make fame through my name as the Kazekage's daughter."

"Last question," Suou said, looking at the card in hand.

Temari sighed as this is finally going to be over.

"…before we go for a short break and ask her less political questions. Now, how do it feel being in a freshmen year, but three years older than everyone?"

Isn't that normal?

And how does that fit into 'political'?

* * *

"Hello, I would like to confirm my appointment my appointment schedules three days from now."

"Ok, your name please?"

"Sai."

There was a short pause, the nurse was entering his name into the database to confirm his appointment.

"Ah, yes. It's not confirmed yet, so you're confirming it now right, Mr Sai?" the nurse asked, "it's for a brain transplant, am I correct?"

"Yes," Sai said, "your colleague has already briefed me on the consequences of this procedure, so you don't have to bother."

"Thank you then sir," she said kindly, "I would be expecting you at the hospital in a few days time. To prepare for the surgery, you must be sure not to consume any food 24 hours before the procedure. If there aren't any questions, I would good you all the best for this life changing surgery and good bye, Mr Sai."

He hung up when she did and turned to the full length mirror conveniently located next to him. There, he stood and watched himself for a few minutes, not saying a word and not doing anything but stand and stare.

"This is really good bye, Sai."

* * *

"Welcome back from the commercial break," Usui greeted the viewers once they're back on air, "before the break we were asking Temari political questions, but now, it's…"

"FUN TIME!" Suou shouted joyfully, "so Temari, do you have a boyfriend?"

Temari rolled her eyes, "what a typical question!" she thought.

"Yes," she admitted, "I do. If you're going to ask me who he is, he would be that guy who thought of the way to get me out of the whole marriage mess."

"You mean Nara Shikamaru!" Suou exclaimed, "I always thought you guys would make a good pair!"

"You're not the only one who thinks so…" Temari thought to herself.

The whole interview lasted half an hour, much longer than she had anticipated. Who ever thought the world was _that_ interested in her boring life?

The questions ranged from ridiculous to retarded, it's almost insulting to the human intelligence.

When Usui clapped his hands to signal it was time to wrap up, she never felt more relieved in her life. She never realized that being in front of the camera would be _that_ traumatic.

Today, she realized many things.

"Ok," Suou said sounding slight upset, "we have to conclude today's show. Temari, do you have anything to say to end your first time on air, in front of the camera?"

"Yes," she spontaneously kicked in, she had been waiting for this.

Confidently, she looked straight into the camera with a serious expression and cleared her throat.

Everyone in the audience, including the hosts kept silent as they felt her seriousness.

"Getsu," she started, "if you're watching this, or if you know Getsu and you're watching this, you must know that _she's_ looking for you. _She_ wants an explanation for you leaving _her_ so suddenly that day. Please go look for _her_. Thank you."

With that, Temari walked out of the studio praying that nobody would stop her and ask more questions. She's already sick of them.

But questions are inevitable, especially after that message she sent to Suigetsu. Everyone's going to wander who the hell 'Getsu' is and who she meant by 'she'.

Thankfully, Shikamaru had prepared their quick getaway just outside the building so she can run out, hop into the car and zoom off without anymore questions.

When she entered the vehicle, Shikamaru was speaking on the phone. He didn't say anything and as soon the door was closed, the butler automatically drove off.

"Yes," he told the person on the other line, "I am Nara Shikamaru, you invited me to your elite school? Yes, I'm calling to verify my attendance."

Temari laid back and rested her head on her car's head rest, not bother listening to Shikamaru's conversation. After all, she knows what he's talking about.

"Yes," he said, "when do classes started? Next Monday? Troublesome. Ok. Thank you. I'll check my e mails in the days to come. Bye."

He put down the phone and too rested his weary head on the head rest.

They kept silent for a few minutes, either one too tried to talk or strike a conversation.

"Miss Temari," the driving butler was first to break the stale silence, "I heard that you're going to Suna on Wednesday after the sports day celebration, am I right?"

"Yes," she muttered, her eyes fixated on the plain ceiling of the limousine, "why'd you ask?"

"Do you need me to drive you to the dock?" he asked.

"Whatever suits you," she said, "so Shikamaru," she decided to continue talking since her engines are slowly picking up pace, "you're going to your Elite school on Monday… have fun. I'll be in Suna, so-"

"No elite girls," Shikamaru continued her sentence and smirked at her after doing so, "I'm flattered you're so over protective of me, it's troublesome."

Temari punched him softly on his arm, the long interview really worn her to near death.

"Don't worry Miss Temari," the butler said, looking at her reflection on the mirror, "I would keep an eye on him for you."

"You too?" Shikamaru muttered, "troublesome."

* * *

"Mom?"

"Temari?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Oh, I saw you on TV just now," the woman said softly, "you look very pretty."

"Heh, thanks," she didn't know what to say, "Tenten suggested I give you guys a call using her phone, and you finally picked up."

"Temari, look, we're not avoiding you, we don't hate you, no far from that," her foster mother tried to explain, "we just don't want to interfere with you and your brothers, now that you've found your real family. Won't the Sabaku's mind?"

"Gaara and Kankuro wouldn't care," Temari insisted, "I just, I felt so bad, as if I did something wrong and you guys just cast me off like you never cared. I know I sound totally daft right now, and extremely lame, but this is how I really feel."

"Then you felt wrong," the lady said, "we still love you a lot, how can we not? We practically brought you up! So tell me Temari, whose that Shikamaru guy?"

"What?" Temari exclaimed, almost falling off her roller chair, "how can you be so random?"

"Isn't that what all mothers do?" the woman protested, "interrogate their daughter's boyfriends?"

Temari thought for a while and realized that this was her way of restarting things, clearing up the bad air. She smiled to herself and decided to follow with it.

"Oh yes, mom, Shikamaru's a genius and he…"

* * *

It's been an hour since Temari announced that she was looking for him. Technically, she was exactly looking for him, rather she was mourning about him. But they're almost similar in a not so direct way. Yes? No?

"This plan screwed up," she told Temari over the phone, "I can even hear that evil witch laughing in the background, you told her didn't you?"

"Patience Karin," Temari soothed her, "it takes time. You living in a very far end of town, what do you expect? Suigetsu rush over in a second? And, no, Ino isn't laughing at you, she doesn't even know that I'm talking to you, she thinks it's Shikamaru. But anyway, she's watching 'Don't Mess With The Zohan'. It's a very asnine show, but I guess simpletons like her would enjoy it."

Karin decided that it would be against her better judgment to flare up and tell Temari that, in her opinion, 'Don't Mess With The Zohan' is the best show ever!

"I-"

_Ring! _

"What was that?" Temari asked, hearing the loud sound over the phone.

"The door bell," Karin said, barely able to contain her excitement, "I think it's him. I hear his voice calling my name. Fuck, what should I do?"

"Well, for starters you can fucking get up and answer the fucking door! I'm hanging up, don't want to spoil the moment."

"Hey wait," Karin cried, but Temari already hung up, "fucking bitch, what kind of a friend are you?"

_Ring! _

"Karin?"

She rushed over to the door, calmed herself down before opening the door to meet him. She didn't want the come cross as expecting him, she must look very surprised but not too happy to see him at her doorstep.

"Ok, 1, 2, 3…" she counted and flung the door open, "yes?"

"Hello Karin."

Karin's arm muscles seem to loosen as she dropped the phone upon meeting her visitor.

She shouldn't have involved herself with Suigetsu.

If she didn't, this wouldn't have happened.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" he asked.

"I…" Karin hesitated, but she noticed the still bodies on the corridor behind him and immediately made her mind, "no. Go away."

Karin tried to slam the door in his face and lock him out of her world forever, but he was too fast and held the door by the edge before it could completely close. Abruptly, he flung it open making her take a few steps back.

"Karin dear," he said, stepping closer to her, "you don't seem to understand the situation here. Let me explain it to you: if you don't do as I say, Suigetsu, yes, that boy you like, Suigetsu might very well end up like those bastard on the corridor, or worse."

Now Suigetsu didn't only paved a way for him to her, he became a threatening tool. This sucks.

"What do you want me to do?" Karin asked with false confidence in her voice.

The sick man smiled, his tiny lips appeared like a pen like across a white paper.

"Do as I say," he muttered, pulling out a syringe from his pocket filled with a green fluid.

She didn't have quick reflexes, so it made it easier for him to inject the fucking nonsense into her.

Karin started to feel dizzy and fell on her knees. Before she can totally pass out, she muttered a few words to him.

"Fuck you Orochimaru."

* * *

It is Hinata's turn to wash the dishes while everyone else carried on with their own life.

Normally, while doing this particular activity, Hinata would hum a tune or listen to her mp3, to entertain herself. But today, there isn't any music streaming into Hinata's ears, just the plain old clanking of the ceramic plates.

"Hinata," Sakura came and joined her in washing, "are you alright?"

The girl in question weakly looked up at Sakura and nodded her head slightly, "I'm alright, just a little tired."

"Tired," Sakura repeated, "then do you want me to do the dishes instead? You can rest early today."

On a ordinary day, Hinata would've refused Sakura's offer without hesitation. But somehow, something in her told herself that Sakura should do the dishes tonight, she should be nice to Hinata, especially after what happened.

"Ok," Hinata said moodily, pushing the rubber gloves into Sakura's hands, "thanks."

She then briskly walked into the room and laid down on her bed. It wasn't right for her to have done that, but yet, because it's Sakura she did it. Maybe if it wasn't Sakura, maybe Tenten, Hinata woould've refused. Then why? Why Sakura only?

Because of what happened?

What happened wasn't her fault.

Sakura couldn't control it.

But she still hated her. She hates Sakura a lot.

Sure she feels remorseful and confused, Sakura never done anything bad to her, but yet all this anger is making her despise Sakura to the bitter core.

Uncomfortable with her current position, Hinata turned to the side to face the dull wall.

"_Hinata,"_ sheheard Naruto's words echo in her head,_ "I need to tell you something very important. Don't laugh, don't… don't do anything that would hurt me. I think I like… Sakura."_

"_But she has Sasuke, Naruto kun."_

"_If I wait, one day they might break up."_

"He's going to wait," Hinata whispered to herself, "he's intending to wait for her. And I have to wait for him."

The phone rang. The loud footsteps that followed indicated that Ino is making the dash for the phone.

"Hello?" Ino's voice traveled into the bedroom, "Sasuke? Hold a sec," she covered the speaker of the phone, "SAKURA! IT'S YOUR BOYFRIEND!"

Hinata tried to console to herself, "he'll have to wait long time I guess. As long as they're together… what am I thinking? I shouldn't be happy with Naruto's lack in success! I… what's wrong with me? I pray that Sasuke and Sakura don't break up- that isn't wrong, yes, completely correct. I pray they have eternal happiness and that Naruto can finally see me…"

"OH MY FUCKING LORD, SAKURA!" Ino's voice vibrated the whole apartment, "WHAT THE FUCK? WHY DID YOU BREAK UP WITH UCHIHA SASUKE?"

Hinata never felt more terrible in her life, partly because her nightmares are coming through and also because she feels like a complete monster to not want Naruto to get what he wants.

Never had she felt so ugly, so devious, so sadistic…

So alone.

* * *

A/N: You would've noticed I added scene breakers here. This is because on all my previous 20 chapters, the scene breakers I added weren't shown on fanfiction. So I decided to change the screen breaker. But if you don't see it… urgh!

56 pages here. I'm sorry it couldn't be longer, I feel if I carried on, the story might get too OOC and unrealistic.

Thanks for reading, please review!


	22. Episode Twenty Two: Thousand Phone Calls

A/N: Hello guys, I'm so sorry I haven't been updating in a very, very, very long time. As I had said earlier, I was having my O Levels Examinations (Google it to understand the importance of this exam if you must) and I must concentrate on revising and studying for the papers. They turned out fine (in case you're wondering). Again, I am incredibly sorry for this delay in updating (for those who have been waiting).

I would like to thank all the reviewers who have been keeping my hopes up during this long struggle (how dramatic).

A shout out to **Hana Kirima** who kindly dedicated chapter two of her FanFic **'The High School Drama Queens!'** to me. I was uber touched. Thank you.

Also **ObesessiveShikaTemaFan**, your review made me cry! Thank you like a gazillion. This is probably the sweetest review I have ever received (but I LOVE ALL MY REVIEWS). I'm sorry for not updating sooner.

Hellos **hakivah**, my fic had never received an award before so I was so glad you made my fic the 'Most Under- Appreciated Story'. *Receives trophy from you* I would like to thank my mother for conceiving me, my father for the sperm, my readers for the support… forgive my lameness.

And **Kataangforever2**, I'm sorry for the lack in NaruHina, I'm so lost in the NaruHina area, I'm trying so hard to make it work! Please have faith in me! BTW, I don't really follow Avatar, but I can safely say Kataang is far beter than Zutara. *smiles* NO FLAMES FOR THIS!

Hey **Soreign21**, sorry if my typo annoyed you. I NEVER reread my stories after completing my chapter. It's too long for me to handle…

Here are more shout outs to others who have recently reviewed: **BitterSweetNitemare**, **purplebunny55**, **rin**, nameless person, **Chelsea Lynn**, **amber**, **Random retard modified 56.0**, **FoebaMiddonaito**, **Master Doc**, **the girl in your closet**

Sorry if I left you out (review more then- hehe)… THANKS YA'LL!

Yet again, I cannot be more grateful for the support and encourage you guys have been (directly/ indirectly) giving me. Thank you.

This chapter is for all you guys! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor do I own Twilight (you'll understand why later)- this does not mean I am a fan of Twilight too!

* * *

2 days to sports day…

She woke up in a dark and cold place. Karin didn't know where she was and how she got there, the last thing she remembered was staring deep into Orochimaru's hazy, yellow eyes before collapsing.

There was an excruciating pain in her right forearm when she tried to push herself upright, instinctively, she used her left hand to press the throbbing flesh to suppress the pain. A little whimper escaped her mouth as she bit her lips down to keep as quiet as possible.

Where ever she was, she needed to escape and to do that, her captors cannot find out that she awake.

But her plan to quietly escape was interrupted by a piercing scream from what seems to be from the room next to hers.

Carefully, she got off the metal table she had been lying on and went closer to the source of the sound to make out what it was.

Then there was the scream again.

It scared her. She knew it was a guy and normally guys are tough and hardy, but this guy seems to be too weak to handle the pain that is being inflicted upon him, so much so he is screaming like a bitch.

Her heart started to race at the thought of this. If a guy couldn't handle what might be install for her, what makes her think she would be able to survive the same ordeal?

"I need to get out of here, fast," Karin thought to herself, as she frantically looked around for an exit, "but exactly where is 'here'?"

As if god had been listening to her thoughts, the door flung open to reveal a large, masculine figure with a butcher knife in hand.

Karin couldn't make out the person's face before of the sheer difference of the light intensities, it makes the new comer look as if he is god and light is radiating from him.

"Who are you?" Karin asked as boldly as she could, "what do you what?"

"It's me," the figure said, closing up on her, his face getting clearer and clearer with every step.

Karin recognized the familiar face and heaved a sigh of relief despite knowing what this guy was capable of when alone with a girl with a lethal weapon in hand.

"Oh, it's you," Karin said, placing her hand on her chest, "Juugo."

Juugo didn't stand there and talk to her like how she thought he would. Instead, he took her by the arm and pulled her out of the room into the light.

The brightest momentarily blinded her which caused her to close her eyes to prevent them from exploding like how they felt they would.

It took her a few seconds to inch open her eyes to figure out exact where she was.

"You're in Orochimaru's hide out," Juugo answered her questioning look, "you cannot stay here."

"Orochimaru injected something into me," Karin said, "he might be able to kill me with it."

Juugo stopped and pulled her into a corner. He held on to her arms with an iron grip. The look on him face was one of utter constraint, as if he is trying desperately to hold back a feeling.

"Look here Karin," he seethed through his teeth, "I really want to kill you right here and now, its really easy for me, but I can't, I promised Suigetsu and I intend on keeping that promise. So please shut the fuck up and run."

Juugo was prepared to run again by Karin stopped him once more by holding on to his arm.

"Wait," Karin looked at him, refusing to be intimidated by his size and his gaze, "where is Suigetsu?"

* * *

"Lena Fuji?" Genma called out, rising his head to find a single hand raised in the classroom of students.

"Here, Genma sen- sei!"

"Hasegawa Jun?" he said.

"Yo!"

He looked at the next student on the register and sighed, "Karin?" he said restlessly, "Karin?"

When there was no reply, Genma looked up to find Karin's seat empty and looked expectantly towards her friends seated on the other side of the classroom.

"Hikari, where's Karin?" he enquired, "is she still sick?"

Hikari looked up from filing her nails, "she's probably with her boyfriend," she muttered.

Upon hearing that remark, the whole class sat upright and shifted their attention towards Hikari, waiting for her elaboration.

She must have felt the intense gaze and looked up again, "what? She doesn't talk to me very often now. Who knows what that bitch is up to these days… she's probably not sick at all, she's most likely to be cuddled up in her boyfriend's arms, feeling his skin caress hers-"

Genma held up a hand to stop her, he quickly flipped open his phone on the desk and dialed Karin's home number.

_Ring ring_

The whole class kept awfully silent waiting for Karin to pick up.

_Ring ring_

Their gazes were fixated on Genma.

_Ring ring_

Genma tapped impatiently on the teacher's desk, anxious for her to pick up. He prayed hard that Karin isn't doing what Hikari said she might be doing… none of his students are allowed to fall on that path.

_Ring ring_

Absolutely none of them.

_Ring r- The number you have dialed is unavailable. Please call again later. Thank you. _

Genma put down his phone and took a deep breath, he'll settle this later, "next," he continued, "Hasaigashi Miliyah?"

* * *

He doesn't understand. Why has Sakura became more appealing after they broke up? There is this new shine in her hair- perhaps a change of shampoo? Really? Then there was that sparkle in her eyes- contacts? Never. Her skin looked abnormally reflective; rays of light seems to bounce off her translucent skin, illuminating her- some new lotion? Doubt so, then every girl would be shining by now.

She did seem more… beautiful.

And why hadn't he realized this earlier? When she was still his girlfriend?

At this point, Sasuke would have agreed being as dense as Naruto.

"… and with increased emissions of greenhouse gases Global Warming would follow," Sakura told the class as she wrapped up her EARTH presentation, "I hope we can consider reducing, reusing and recycling to save the earth from mass destruction. Thank you."

He clapped, he didn't know why; his hands just came together and made a loud rapping sound. That was a horrible mistake because everyone turned to look at him with a questioning look, surprised that there was actually someone who listens to these presentations. Even Kakashi can't be bothered to pay attention.

"What?" Sasuke said in self defense, "you guys ought to be listening. She was great."

Mentally, Sasuke slapped himself.

Really? Something like this coming from The Sasuke? The Mighty 'Heart of Stone' Sasuke? Amazing.

He would expect Sakura to be embarrassed, but no, she had to freaking give him that god damn smile that made his heart tremble. How can she treat him this way after breaking up with him? That isn't the normal behavior of a teenage girl!

"_You want the truth? I'm perfectly fine with it, Sasuke, sorry if that offended you, insulted you, made you angry… but I did ask if you wanted the truth and yes, here's the truth Sasuke. I am not much more happy because of this relationship and I don't feel anymore complete than I originally was. The only difference would be the fangirls, you have lesser people who love you and I have more people who hate me. That's it."_

Oh yes, that's right, he never mattered in her life. To her, being 'Sasuke's girlfriend' was just a title and even though many girls would've died for a similar title, Sakura took it as if it was another plague she can store in her glass cabinet among the other prestigious awards she has.

Maybe she hated being his girlfriend, think about it. She did say that she had more haters after she became his girlfriend… but that still doesn't solve his problem; Why has Sakura became more appealing after they broke up?

Gosh, did he miss her? It can't be, after all, it's only been a day since they called it off. And Sasuke NEVER misses anyone, not his mother, not his father, not his brothers and definitely not a girlfriend _he_ broke up with.

His brothers. That reminded him of something he tried really hard to ignore- Sai's brain. He checked the date with his watch and realized it was only 2 more days before everything in Sai's mind would be wiped off.

In view of this, they did… nothing. They decided to go with the flow and try their luck with things. At least they're prepared, what about Ino? She's really that into Sai now, after she got over Sasuke. What about Ino? Does Sai really have that lack of consideration for that girl's feelings?

And he is the one to talk about hurting Ino's feelings after what he did when she came to confess her undying love for him.

Hah, how ironic.

Maybe he should try to tell Ino. Yes, he should even if it would be going against Sai's wishes, he has to let her know so that she'll be prepared. Or will she? Would Ino really just sit back, stunned for a little while before thanking him and take no action?

He doesn't think so.

The Ino he knew is reckless, dramatic and daring. She would probably trudge up to Sai and threaten to kill him if he takes the surgery.

But is he doesn't tell her… she would be left weeping in the corner after finding out that Sai's memory has been wiped clean and there was no way of retrieving it. After all her hard work in trying to activate Sai's feelings, perhaps he didn't trust her enough or couldn't wait any longer and thus took the surgery. She would feel totally useless.

This would affect Sasuke himself.

Ino would most likely fall into a state of depression, Sakura would be so heartbroken seeing her best friend so torn, she would hate him. Sakura would hate that stupid Uchiha who convinced his brother to accept the surgery even though he regrets his actions and apologized. She would never forgive the one who hurts her friends, Sakura would never forgive him.

Even if they don't love each other the way they used to, Sasuke would still want to see that smile on her face every time they make eye contact. He wanted to be the kind of friend that she would cry about lest anything happens to him. He wanted Sakura to care.

The scraping of the teacher's chair caught his attention; Kakashi got up from his seat and gathered his things from the table.

"Class, dismissed," he said, not expecting the students to greet him back, and left the classroom.

"Ho yeah!" Naruto exclaimed, "ta-lent cla- ass! Tenten, let's go!"

Tenten grabbed her bag from the side of the table, sighing, "we don't need to be soooo early, Naruto."

Sasuke watched Naruto grab Tenten by the hand and drag her out of the classroom with the watchful gaze of Hinata.

"Aw, come on! Hinata doesn't need to be so overprotective! Naruto isn't even her boyfriend," Sasuke thought to himself, shaking his head disapprovingly, "plus, from what I've heard, Tenten has zero interest in that dimwit, apparently she likes gentle, first aid guys," Sasuke eyed Neji from the corner of his eye as that thought ran through his head, "also, Naruto obviously treats Tenten like a fellow boy friend, he doesn't like her, the only girl he is known to like is…" the voice in his head soften as Sasuke came to the realization that he might have made the second biggest mistake in his life- leaving Sakura open.

Slowly, he turned his gaze towards Sakura who has made he way to Neji's desk and is now having a casual, friendly conversation with him as he packs his stuff.

"What is she doing there?" Sasuke thought, "oh yes, they're going to the same class afterwards…"

Neji seem to have felt Sasuke's gaze for a second time as Neji turned to look at Sasuke whose gaze have not diverted.

"Yes, Sasuke?" Neji said in a calm tone, "is there something you need?"

"Hn," Sasuke tried to maintain his composure and turned away, "nothing."

He pretended to be concentrated on finishing an essay on his desk to seem busy.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it," Sasuke cursed himself in his head, "did she see that? Did she see that? Calm down Sasuke, it's nothing… it's totally alright to look at the girl you broke up with… totally fine…" without moving too much, he shifted his gaze to Neji's table and saw Sakura still watching him, quickly he turned away, "damn it, damn it, damn it! What have I become? Calm down Sasuke, you are supposed to be cool Sasuke, you're suppose to not care at all… you can't let Sakura pull you off that road. You're cool Sasuke, you're a cool man. You're cool Sasuke, you're a cool man… " he chanted in his head.

"_Hey Sakura," Naruto's voice appeared in his head, "since Sasuke's no longer you're boyfriend… perhaps you might accept me as one! I'll be nice, you won't gain haters too! Believe it!" _

"_Sure Naruto," Sakura's voice chirped, "I'd be honored to be your girlfriend!"_

"No," Sasuke thought, "she would never. Never ever ever. Never. It's unorthodox! Illegal! Out of Character! Hell no," his ran his fingers through his hair, "never- am I _sweating_?"

"Hey Sasuke."

While he was caught up in his own thoughts, Sakura made her way to his table seeing how longer Neji is going to take to pack his stuff.

Sasuke almost jumped, almost. Quickly, he made his usual unimpressed expression and looked at her.

"Yes?" he asked, with an abnormally calm tone.

She raised her brow.

"She saw through my act!" Sasuke panicked, "or am I thinking too much?"

"I just came over to thank you, you know, for clapping for me," Sakura smiled, "thanks."

His eyebrow twitched, she smiled at him, again.

"It's nothing, really, the presentation was really… informative," after saying that, Sasuke mentally slapped himself for making such a dorky remark.

Sakura could sense that there was something wrong with him, or at least the atmosphere, "is everything alright, Sasuke?"

Sasuke quietly cringed, "can she stop doing that?" he thought to himself, "can she not care? Wait- didn't I want her to care? Damn, my mind is a mess… because of her."

"No, actually not. I'm starting to regret my decision about breaking up with you, cause I miss you terribly and I want you around me all the time. I can't help but think Naruto would take you away when he finds out we broke up, but factually, he can't take you away, because at that point you won't be mine. What I'm saying is that… would you be mine again?"

Since when did Sasuke became so cheesy? Perhaps it popped up since virtually any girl would melt in his arms afterwards, but he would never have the guts to say that. Thank god he didn't, because he realized, seconds after that mental speech, that Sakura isn't any girl.

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked after Sasuke's long moment of silence.

"Sakura, if Naruto asked you to be his girlfriend… would you?" Sasuke looked at her with the most serious eyes to show that he isn't joking, because normally, any sentence with the word 'Naruto' in it would most likely be a joke.

"What kind of question is that?" Sakura asked, avoiding the answer.

Sasuke stood up so that they were on the same level- no- so that he is towering over her, "would you?"

His persistence baffled her.

"He must really want to know my response," Sakura pondered, "why the sudden curiosity? It's not like it would matter to him any more, because he's no longer my… boyfriend."

"Sasuke, I-"

"Lets go, Sakura, we're late," Neji rushed up to her and opened the classroom door for her, waiting for her to exit.

Sakura looked back at Sasuke and gave him an apologetic look, "I have to go."

That was the moment Sasuke realized that he still have some feeling for her.

"Damn it," Sasuke muttered as his fist collided with table.

"You're being over dramatic," a voice, in what he thought was an empty classroom, appeared by his side.

"Temari?" he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets and resuming his 'cool man' stance, "I was just thinking."

Temari rolled her eyes and pulled her bag closer to her, "yeah, yeah, that's what they all say. I would like to offer my help, but I'm already helping another troublesome, melodramatic, heart broken girl. Helping another one would be… troublesome- er."

His signature smirk spread across his face, "he's rubbing on you."

"Oh shut up pussy."

* * *

She deliberately took the route which passes the modeling studio hoping to catch a glimpse of Karin.

The modeling studio is located near the amphitheatre, it is a large room with a raised runway and lots of studio spot lights hanging all over the room. For certain modeling events, the room would get so packed that spectators wouldn't be able to fit into the room anymore, thus, the school decided to install a huge glass window by breaking down one of the walls. This would allow the people to watch the models even if they're outside the studio.

That was where Temari stood, watching anorexic, pole skinny girls strut their stuff down the runway. She allowed herself to stay and slowly scan the room for Karin as the modeling instructor isn't here today.

Temari caught sight of Ino gracing the runway in a black tube dress, waving her hand, acting as if there were a large crowd cheering for her. That made her grin and laugh at her comicality.

As Ino turned around, she spotted Temari at the glass window as Ino started waving frantically in her direction. Obviously, she is happy that Temari took time off her club activity to watch her, or so she thinks.

In a flash, Ino is making her way to the door, receiving Temari like the modeling studio was her new home.

"Hi Temari," Ino exclaimed, "you finally came to see me!"

"Oh yes," Temari lied, "you were great up there."

"I know," Ino faked an embarrassed expression, "what can I say it's-"

"Hey, wheres um… Karin?" Temari cut into Ino's sentence, trying to speed things up yet sound casual, "I don't see her there."

Ino gave Temari a stupefied expression, a blue eyes were instantly enlarged, her mouth left agape, her shoulders raised to the highest degree…etc.

"Why do you care?" Ino half shouted, "she's my," she lowered her voice, "_enemy_."

Her partner bit her lips and cringed quietly, "perhaps I was too fast," Temari thought.

"Well, I…" Temari wanted to start with her explanation but Ino cut her to it.

"And you even asked me for her address!" Ino flung her hands in the air, "what was that about? Are you guys conspiring something behind my back? You can't Temari! You're my best friend!"

"She's looking for Karin because Temari's doing a film project about a bitch," Shikamaru appeared behind her, answering Temari's question.

Ino, being the foolish, gullible girl she is, accepted that reason and smile oh so brightly, "then you have found the perfect girl!" she walked towards the door, "I don't think she came today, but I'll check!"

Once Ino entered the room and disappeared behind the runway curtains to look for Karin, Temari's legs let loose and she fell back against the glass window, sighing in relief.

"Now you have to produce a movie starring Karin," Shikamaru joked as he leaned against the window, next to her, "I'm always here to save your ass. Always. How troublesome."

"Hmmf," Temari smiled to herself, "why are you here?"

"Same reason you're here," Shikamaru turned to face his companion, "to look for Karin and perhaps find out if our plan succeeded."

Temari gave a thoughtful nod, before it dawned on her that he wasn't there during lunch break.

"Where were you during lunch break?" she enquired, looking around and suddenly noticing how empty the hallway was.

"I seem to like the way you're so overprotective," he smirked, "I was at Tsunade's office, she wanted to run through stuff about the Elite school. Freaking troublesome."

"Oh," was all she said, there was nothing much to talk about, "I don't think Karin is here today. Maybe Suigetsu didn't turn up at her doorstep, I never really thought of the possibilities our little plan might fail, what do we do if that happens to be the case?"

Shikamaru looked up at the ceiling and thought for a while, "what we always do- think of another way," he paused, "remind me why we're going this again."

A sigh escaped Temari's mouth, the afternoon seemed so restless all of a sudden, "because I would want someone to help me if the same thing happens to me."

There wasn't an immediate reply, he left them stand there in the middle of the silence of the empty hallway in a breezy afternoon. They were left to observe how the changing positions of the sun affected the appearance of the shadows, making it seem like the shadows were dance to the music of the sun. Then they watched how the plants along the corridor seem to sway gently as the wind course through their branches and detached many leaves and flower petals from their comfort zone, allowing them to dance in the wind, with the shadow.

That afternoon was one of the rare afternoons where you feel like all the troubles in the world seem to seep away making it rather peaceful.

"That, Temari, I am absolutely certain," Shikamaru spoke, breaking the silence, "would never happen to you."

That colored a blush across Temari's face forcing her to turn away from Shikamaru's watchful gaze to prevent him from seeing her embarrassed face.

"Hmmff," Shikamaru grumbled under his breath, amused.

He took one hand out of his pocket and grabbed her loose hand by her side. Temari tried to keep a straight face and not smile, she didn't want him to know that she enjoyed his slightest touch, it felt too pre school, too childish but yet so genuine, so pure.

"I went away for five minutes and I come back to find you guys being all sappy in front of me," Ino crossed her hands and grinned cheekily, "anyways… I asked a few girls from her class and they told me that Karin didn't appear in school today. They said their form teacher tried to contact her through her cell, her home number but no one answered."

"Has any one of her classmates tried to contact her?" Shikamaru asked.

Ino just shook her head.

Temari looked at Shikamaru and they shared a common understanding: what ever that happened to Karin cannot be good.

Think of it this way, they get a missing but not missing man to go to her house one night and the next day she doesn't appear in school, she isn't contactable and she never told anyone about go anywhere. There are two possibilities: one, Karin decided to skip school for a day or two, Karin is in trouble.

Well if Karin skipped school she would try to cover up by calling in and saying she is sick for she has something really urgent to attend to. Also, if she freely decided to skip school, she wouldn't mind picking up the phone calls made to her, unless something is stopping her from doing so.

So, that leaves possibility number two: Karin is in trouble.

"Thanks Ino," Temari said, "I guess I have to go look for Karin now."

"Okie dokie!" Ino chirped, "I have to get back to modeling now or our new instructor might look down on us."

Shikamaru, who was walking away stopped dead in his tracks, "what happened to Orochimaru?"

"Well, he is still our instructor until after sports day," Ino sulked, "because he has some important business to attend to or something like that… I'm not sure," she looked at the time on her wrist watch, "you guys better hurry to class, you're terribly late."

* * *

"Sooo Sai," Hinata said in a very hushed tone, "I heard that Sasuke broke up with Sakura… is that true?"

Sai took a tube of paint from the cabinet behind him and squeezed a little onto a cardboard he used as a make shift palette. He nodded as he heard Hinata's question started painting.

"Yes they did break up," Sai said calmly as he painted his picture, "why are you asking?"

Hinata noticed that she tensed up upon hearing that question, "I just wanted to know why? I mean as Sakura's friend I need to know why he doesn't want to be with her anymore."

Sai eyed with from the corner of his eye after realizing how shaky her voice was when she said that, she had also stopped painting. Now, Hinata is just staring at her paints.

"From what I heard, Sakura seems totally fine with it," Sai commented as he resumed with his artwork, "the only person who seems to be having a problem with this break up is," he paused as he tightened his grip on his brush, "you."

There was the sound of dropping of wood on the ground that followed.

"Sorry," Hinata said to those whose attention had been disturbed by the noise, "sorry."

As she stood up to retrieve the paintbrush that has rolled to the back of her easel, Sai leaned back to catch a glimpse of whatever she managed to paint in the past one hour. He quickly returned to his nearly completely painting before she caught him in action.

When Hinata returned to her seat, she dipped her paintbrush into the clear water to rinse her already clean paintbrush. Her browed were closely knitted and her grip on her paintbrush wasn't steady. She proceeded to running the moist, clean brush through some red paint in her palette.

Slowly and hesitantly, she brought her brush closer and closer to the canvas, her breathing stopped; painting had never felt so hard before.

Just when it is a few centimeters from the canvas, Sai interrupted her which causes her to flinch.

"As I said," Sai repeated, "the only person who seems to be having a problem with this is none other than you."

"I…" Hinata's voice decreased to a whimper, "why would I have a problem with it? Haha, that's absurb."

Sai grinned, "you right."

Hinata started to paint, so did Sai. Silence followed for a few more minutes before Hinata settled her paintbrush down abruptly catching only Sai's attention.

So couldn't stand it anymore, she needs to do something about this. Fast.

"Sai," Hinata called him, "let's make a deal."

Sai nodded to show that he was listening.

"You will help me to get Sasuke and Sakura back together," Hinata stated, "in exchange for your brain surgery being kept a secret."

All Sai did was smirk, no surprise there, he can't feel shocked or panicky because Hinata found out about the surgery.

"Eavesdropper. Then you should know I only have two days to make two people fall in love with each other again," Sai said, "looks like you're unsettled by the fact that Naruto might go for Sakura now that she's single."

Her heart beat skipped a beat, but she managed to maintain her composure and carry on with their deal.

"Sai," Hinata spoke softly, "I really like Naruto, I don't know why. After seeing how happy Temari and Shikamaru can be or how comfortable Ino can be with you, I told myself that I want to feel the same way as they do with Naruto, because he never seize to inspire me each day. He motivates me to work harder and harder and strive to greater heights. If I can't be with him… I don't know what would happen to me," Hinata murmured, "I'm sure you're taking the surgery, hoping to one day feel the same joy. If you can help me the way the doctors are helping you… please."

"You do realize that even if Sakura gets back with Sasuke… Naruto's feelings would not change," Sai said thoughtfully, "understand that you can't make someone love you by not allowing them to love another."

"I know, I know," Hinata whimpered quietly, her head hanging low, "please, just help me."

Sai sighed, that look in her eyes, there was something there, something desperate, something genuine. He could tell she really wanted this, he knew she would break down if she saw the guy she loved with her best friend. That isn't right.

Also, she knew about his secret.

"But, Hinata, why Naruto?" Sai asked before agreeing, "of all the men in the world, is there a reason why it has to be him?"

Hinata fiddled with her fingers, since Sai already knew so much, it would not hurt to tell him more. Anyway, it's about time she told someone about that incident that happened a long time ago.

"Lets meet up for a drink after school," Hinata told him in a hushed tone, "since I'm going to tell you about that, it would certainly be convenient for Neji to listen in on this… story too. What do you say?"

Sai nodded and resumed his painting, "I'll inform Neji," he paused, "you better start drawing _something_."

* * *

Tsunade's slammed her porcelain cup on to her office desk creating a loud 'tudd' and accidentally cracking it's base. She then raised the cup again intending to slam it against the table top and putting an end to the cup's base. When it was in mid air, she was interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

She looked up and realized it was Asuma.

"Tsunade Sama," Asuma said once he gained her attention, "there is no use getting pissed at a time like this. We should have seen this coming."

The cup was tossed into the far away bin with dead accuracy, breaking the silence which dragged after Asuma's statement.

"You were supposed to keep them here," Tsunade seethed under her breath, "you were supposed to… DAMN! Where's that note?"

Asuma took out a folded, white piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Tsuande, "they left this on my desk this morning. I tried calling them, all of them, I asked the girls," he looked at his five fingers and closed three, "the both of them."

Tsuande took the letter and unfolded it, "_Asuma Sensei_," she read, "_I know this is short notice, but there is something urgent we have to attend to- it's not like you guys haven't been keeping tabs on us. We have entertained both you and the principal long enough and we have to get back to serious business. I urge you to give up your ambitions; we will _never_ be caught. -Akatsuki_"

She leant back against her chair and sighed deeply, her fingers tapping on the table top creating a beat. Her companion looked at her expectantly, trying to decipher her thoughts.

"How do they know we've been watching them?" Tsunade asked under her breath, "and more importantly, what do they mean by 'serious business'? Does it mean that all this while, the stuff they've been doing are not serious?" she paused, her eyes started to wander around the room as if it were looking for an answer written on the plain walls, "Asuma, you do realize the severity of this situation, don't you?" she didn't wait for his reply and stood up to walk over to the long row of drawers at the side of the room, "what can be more serious than what they have done?" Tsuande scanned the tags on the drawers and pulled open the drawer labeled 'Akatsuki', "repeatedly, we have appealed to the law enforcers that these kids are dangerous, but all they say is-"

"They're just having fun," Asuma rolled his eyes, having heard this speech repeatedly.

Tsuande tossed a thick folder onto her desk, "the police would not accept this," she muttered, "they don't believe that these kids are capable of these messes… they have no idea."

There was a knock on the door, "Principal Tsuande, it's me."

"Hmm, come in Kurenai," Tsunade beckoned Asuma to help Kurenai with the door.

They watched as Kurenai entered the room and close the thick wooden door behind her. She proceeded to taking a seat next to Asuma and looking back at Tsuande, waiting for her to do something.

"Kurenai," Tsuande asked, "do you know why we have to watch the Akatsuki even though it's none of our business and obviously not our job?"

Kurenai nodded, she knows the answer very well having been with Tsunade in this game for more that ten years.

"Yes," Kurenai answered obediently, "they are seen as a threat to the book."

Tsunade diverted her gaze to Asuma, "do you know what the book contains?"

Asuma shook his head and turned to Kurenai hoping to find an answer, but Kurenai shrugged. They didn't know a thing about the object they're trying to keep hidden.

Kurenai calmly crossed her legs and looked at Tsunade after a long silence, "all I know is that its something passed down from our predecessors after the Brushogun Revolution and everyone is after that book, that's it. I think we have the right to know what this book contains since we are putting our lives on the line for it."

The elder woman took a sip of sake and placed the new cup on her desk, "this book…"

* * *

A blow was delivered on Suigetsu's face and he can't avoid it by liquefying as Oorchimaru had temporarily numbed his liquefying abilities.

In return, Suigetsu threw Orochimaru a dirty look and spat a whole lot of saliva, he had accumulated in his mouth, onto Orochimaru's face.

"Why do you need us?" Suigetsu demanded angrily, "why can't you just let us go, you sick bastard!"

Orochimaru tossed Suigetsu against the metal wall and wiped off the revolting liquid on his face, "haven't I told you before, Suigetsu? I need test subjects as well as minions to get me the Cryptext!"

"Get the fucking code yourself, damn it!" Suigetsu hollered.

Orochimaru smirked, "I have no time. Once I get the last keeper… hmmf, our plan would commence."

Suigetsu was panting like a mad dog, his lungs are desperately trying to get some oxygen to generate energy for him muscles to move. But the oxygen debt is too large, he knew it once his vision started to get blurry. Suigetsu wanted to ask more, he wanted to know why Orochimaru's holding them hostage until they get him the Cryptext. What would the code lead to? Why does he need that? Suigetsu wanted to know.

"Ever try that again Hozuki," Orochimaru said as he walks closer and closer to Suigetsu, "not only you, but that red head would suffer too. Get it?"

A long breath entered his mouth, hoping to be the breath to give him all the energy he needs to knock the fuck out of this deep shit. But no, he was wrong; instead, he lost all energy and all his vision, completely blacking out.

"Pathetic," Orochimaru kicked unconscious Suigetsu in the ribs, "I can't believe I saw you as a shining star," he looked towards the door, "yes, Kabuto?"

All along, Kabuto had been standing outside waiting for Orochimaru to be done with his work. He entered the room that seemed to have just experienced a tornado.

"Have you caught the other two?" Orochimaru asked, walking towards the open door where Kabuto stood.

Kabuto nodded in response, "they're both unconscious, Orochimaru sama."

A smile formed on Orochimaru's face, "good, we need to do something about the three of them, they get along a little too well. Get Suigetsu into the water chamber and do not let him go until I get the last keeper."

The other man bowed, "yes, Orochimaru sama," he gave his superior a questioning look, "but Oorchimaru sama, have you decided on the last keeper?"

By then Orochimaru was half way through the corridor of their secret hideout.

"I'm on it."

* * *

Sasuke ran up to the orange haired male walking out of the train arena, "Ichigo sen pai," he shouted to catch the man's attention, "Ichigo sen pai."

The said man turned around and saw the young Uchiha right behind him and raised a brow, "has this got anything to do with Itachi?"

Sasuke nodded, as he took his usual stance with his hands in his pocket, "yes, it does. What happened to Itachi sen pai?"

It was the end of the talent class period and also the end of school. Everyone in the taekwondo club are packing their things and leaving the arena quickly. Soon, the only ones left were Ichigo and Sasuke.

A tall dark guy, a senior, tossed a bunch of keys to Ichigo and told him to lock up the room before leaving seeing Ichigo would be the last one exiting.

"Haven't you heard?" Ichigo asked, "Itachi and the whole of the Akatsuki left school," Ichigo said, packing his thing simultaneously, "they seem to have some important business to take care of. Whatever that is, I don't want to have anything to do with them."

That made Sasuke more puzzled, "what do you mean, you seem to fear them more than idolize them."

In response to Sasuke's statement, Ichigo dropped his gym bag onto the floor, making a soft sound that echoed through the whole arena.

He turned to face Sasuke who bore a quizzical expression, "you've got it all wrong. We do not idolize the Akatsuki, we're afraid of them," Ichigo placed one hand on his hips and shook his head disapprovingly, "my, my Sasuke, I've just realized that you're not one to gossip, or you might know about that incident a few years back."

This made Sasuke really interested in the subject. All along, he thought that the Akatsuki was just a group of popular seniors that everyone worshipped, but it turns out, they are a group of dangerous kids that everyone feared. That's why everyone treats them nicely, that's why everyone worships them; because they are afraid that the Akatsuki might do something to them.

But exactly what happened that made everyone so afraid?

"It started when the leader of the Akatsuki, Pein, entered this school. He-" before Ichigo could continue his story, he was interrupted by someone else.

"Ichigo!" this black haired female was standing by the door with her bag pack slung over one shoulder, "you were taking too long, so I came up to check on you."

He looked at the time and realized it has been fifteen minutes since the end of the period. Ichigo gave Sasuke an apologetic look.

"Hold on a sec, Rukia," he shouted to the female, "Sasuke, I'll tell you about the Akatsuki some other time, but right now I have to go."

* * *

It was hard to find a café at this time since most schools in the area are over. Many students flock to the various cafes to enjoy their afternoon before retreating home to suffer with the vast amount of homework they were given. Thankfully, Hinata, Neji and Sai had private transportation which allowed them to get to the café faster than most.

"I'll have a strawberry smoothie," Hinata said to the waitress, "they'll have a French vanilla and a glass of water."

The waitress took down the orders and walked away.

When she turned her attention back to the two men before her, she was immediately intimidated by their gazes. Now all the attention is on her and she did not like it one bit.

"So…" Hinata tried to look away without being too obvious, "we're here to talk about what happened about… say 11 years ago?"

Sai crossed his hands, "carry on."

"Well, my father calls this the event that shook the confident of the Hyuga family, forever and this was how my father would explain it," she took a deep breath, preparing herself for the long story, "about eleven years ago…"

* * *

_11 years ago… _

_The day was sunny and the air was calm and cool, it was the perfect day for the large Hyuga family to have a family gathering cum picnic in the forest behind the Hyuga mansion. _

"_Daddy," young Hinata murmured while tugging her father's trousers, can Neji and I go to the near by stream and throw peddles?" _

_Neji, who stood next to Hinata, looked at her father with pleading eyes, "oh please uncle! My father allowed me and the rest of the kids are going too!" _

_He nodded and beckoned for the two of them to go away as he was talking to the other adults in the family. _

_Happily, Neji and Hinata joined their cousins- Mugi, Mio, Ritsu, Azusa, Renji, Kitsuke and Hitsugaya- and walked to the stream they're so familiar with. _

_Then, Kitsuke was the oldest child among them, so he had the responsibility to ensure that all the children get back to the grounds safely. _

_It wasn't Neji and Hinata's first time going to the stream, they've been there last year with Kitsuke as well. They thought that the only difference would be the presence of the one year old Hyuga Ritsu, but they were gravely mistaken. _

_While Neji, Hinata, Renji and Mio were throwing rocks into the deep, fast flowing stream, Kitsuke was taking care of Mugi and Ritsu who the were youngest among them. _

"_Mio," Kitsuke shouted from where he sat, "you're too close to the edge of the stream, move back a little, you do know what happens if any of you fall into that stream, don't you?"_

_Hinata, who was holding a bunch of pebbles in her hand turned to face Kitsuke, "we will go to sleep forever!" _

"_Good," Kitsuke commended her. _

"_So what?" Renji asked as he skipped a small pebble across the water surface, "sleeping forever isn't that bad!" _

_Kitsuke made a face, "that's very bad, Renji, you would never be able to wake up!"_

"_But… but… sleeping beauty woke up when her prince kissed her," Mio muttered, "I would like a prince to kiss me too!" _

_Kitsuke sighed and patted Mugi on the head, his other hand searched for the youngest kid- Ritsu. When all he felt was the ground and no child, Kitsuke's heart skipped a beat. Frantically, his eyes searched the area before noticing a bunch of brown hair disappearing into the forest. _

_Quickly, Kitsuke grabbed hold of Mugi and instructed Neji to take care of the rest of the kids while he gets Ritsu. _

"_Be careful Neji," Kitsuke said before running off to get Ritsu. _

_Just as Kitsuke disappeared from their sight, a strong wind blew across the forest. The wide sun hat Hinata wore danced in the wind and landed in the running stream, drifting away from them. _

_Immediately, Hinata started running along the stream to get her sun hat back. Neji, being in charge of the kids demanded that Mio and Renji stay there while he went to get Hinata back. _

_As he chased after Hinata, he noticed the sun hat had been stopped by a rock in the middle of the stream. He sighed, but when he saw that Hinata was desperately inching closer and closer to the edge of the stream, trying in vain to get her sun hat, it set it heart racing again. _

"_HINATA!" he shouted as he ran towards her, "BE CAREFUL!"_

"_Neji!" Hinata whimpered, "my sun hat…"_

_By then, Neji was at her side. Although he knew they should give up on the hat and let it drift away, but half his heart told him that saving the sun hat is possible, no one would know they almost risked their lives to get a hat if they returned safely. _

_And exactly what are they chance they would not?_

"_I'll get it for you," Neji offered reluctantly, "just stay at the bank."_

_Hinata nodded and stood back, listening to Neji's command. _

_Then, he was only five and his arm wasn't long enough to reach the sun hat in the middle of the stream, but his kept pushing himself, he pushed until only his legs were the ones keeping a firm hold on the ground. _

"_Neji," Hinata murmured, "I don't think you should…"_

"_I'm almost there," Neji said, his fingers inches away from the sun hat, "almost…"_

_Just then another soft wind blew by and the sun hat got dislodged from the rock and started to flow down stream. Neji accidentally shifted his position to get the sun hat but failed terribly, causing him to fall into the stream. _

"_NEJI!" Hinata screamed when she saw what happened, "NEJI!"_

_She chased after along the stream just as she did for her sun hat. _

"_NEJI!" _

_Neji couldn't yelled or shout anything to Hinata, everything was just a blur. Whenever his head is dunked into the water, it would fill his nostrils, his mouth, his ears, erasing all consciousness he had left with water. His mind told him to fight the current, to swim, to hold on to something, but his muscles don't seem to respond accordingly. _

_Everytime he rose from the water, he can vaguely see Hinata's figure running along the stream screaming his name. He wanted to tell her 'go get the elders for help you stupid girl!' but he couldn't. _

_Just then, Hinata slipped on the watery surface of the bank and fell down, injuring her knee. To make matters worse, as she tried to get up and continue chasing after Neji, she lost her balance and fell side ways sending her rolling down the forested slope near the stream._

_She didn't scream, she didn't curse, all she did was think of how terrible she had been on insisting to get the stupid sun hat when they can always get a new one. Now Neji is going to sleep, forever. _

_The thought of that made Hinata cry as she painfully rolled down the slope, her hair collecting dirt, branches and dead leaves, her skin obtaining scars from the scraping against tree barks and her body became numb from all the knock and hitting. _

"_I'm sorry Neji," Hinata thought, "please forgive me…"_

_There, she blacked out. _

_She doesn't know how long she had been out but when she regained her consciousness, the first words she heard were: _

"_Look daddy, look! The pretty girl is waking up!" _

_That voice didn't sound familiar, she wondered for a minute if she had went to whatever the adults called 'heaven' and if that voice was the voice of God. _

_If that's the case, then God must be a very young boy as his voice was filled with enthusiasm and zest for life. _

"_Really?" another voice replied the first one, "are you sure?"_

_Hinata desperately tried to open her eyes, but they have been closed for such a long period of time, she seemed to have forgotten how to open them. Then she resorted to using her weak arms to push herself up and wipe off the dirt from her eyes. _

"_Oh yes Naruto," the second voice said after seeing her sit up, "she's very awake. Why don't you help her? Be careful."_

_Then, Hinata felt a warm hand touch her hands and pull her upright. It was then she realized how cold it had been and that touch was just... electrifying. She wanted to hug a whole vessel full of that electrifying touch and never ever let go. _

_She brought her hands to her eyes and wiped the dirt off her eyes, she also tried to force her eyes open which worked wonders. There, she saw seated in front of her, a boy about her age with the most shining blond hair and the softest looking blond eyes. She was enchanted and even though she was aching all over, this boy made her so enthralled, it numbs all the pain. _

"_Whoa daddy," the boy exclaimed, "her eyes are white!" _

"_White?" an older man who looks much like the boy before her came in view, "oh yes, she has those eyes," the man held her tiny hand in his large ones, "young lady, my name is Minato and this is my son, Naruto. We were hiking through the forest and happen to chance upon you lying in the mud, unconscious. Also, you seem to have a trait only the Hyuga family would have. Do tell me, are you a Hyuga?" _

_Hinata nodded eagerly. Her parents must be worried sick! How long has she been out? It's already sunset? And what about…_

"_Neji?" she muttered with her bruised lips, "Neji…"_

"_Who's Neji?" Naruto asked, "is he your boyfriend?"_

_Hinata shook her head, tears accidentally fall from her eyes, "he's my cousin… he went to sleep…" Hinata bit her lips tightly to prevent herself from wailing in front of Naruto, "forever."_

"_What do you mean by-" _

"_I'm sorry Hinata," Minato interrupted Naruto, "as soon as we're done packing, we're taking you home. I know the Hyugas very well."_

_She watched as the two men packed their cooking pots and plates, folded their tents and led her to their car parked at the end of the forest trail. _

_It all took about an hour to reach the car and get comfortably rested in it. The long walk made Hinata worn and drowsy. Seeing this, Minato asked Naruto to sit at the back of the car to keep Hinata company as they drove to the Hyuga complex. _

_But Hinata's thoughts were so hogged up by the guilt of killing Neji that she couldn't close her eyes without thinking about how Neji looked like drowning in the stream. That never failed to leak tears from her eyes each time she opens them. _

"_Neji…" she whimpered, bitting her thumb like a baby to inflict pain on herself physically to remove the pain she had mentally. _

_A hand pulled her thumb away from her mouth and kept it away. It was Naruto. _

"_That's not going to work, Hinata," Naruto muttered, "when I lost my mother… bitting my thumb, knocoking my head against the solid wall, cutting myself… they never enlighten the pain… because the pain is endless and the only thing that can stop that pain is…" he turned to look at Hinata with earnest eyes, "ourselves."_

_That made Hinata frown, "but you didn't kill your mother… I killed Neji! It was my fault!"_

_Naruto shook his head, "it's not your fault. How can it be? You never wanted him to die, you had good intentions and I'm certain he has good intentions as well. Hinata, my father told me after my mother's death that my mother wouldn't want me to live a sad day without her," Naruto nodded, "that makes a lot of sense… so, I'm quite sure Neji wouldn't want you to live a sad day as well."_

_She couldn't bare it no longer, Hinata lunged towards Naruto and embraced him. It shocked the boy a little but he knew she needed it more than anyone else at a time like this and patted her knowingly. _

"_Thank you, Naruto kun," Hinata cried in his chest, soaking his shirt, "thank you… thank you…"_

_She knew Naruto was smirking as she heard a grumbling noise escape his lips. _

"_Smile, pretty girl."_

* * *

Neji carefully placed his French Vanilla on the table and glance at Sai before watching Hinata with serious eyes, "so why didn't you think I would be your cousin after meeting me for the first time? After all, I do have the signature Hyuga eyes."

"Yes, you do," Hinata said thoughtfully, "but the Hyuga family is large and I do not know most of my cousins. I just assumed that you were one of those far off relative within the Hyuga clan. Also, the way you act, it's totally different from how my cousin Neji used to be… But, what I want to know and what my father hasn't gotten the opportunity to ask," Hinata continued, "if you are really my cousin Neji…"

"Is it obvious?" Sai asked, "he is surely your long lost cousin."

Hinata shook her head, "I don't want to get my hopes up… Neji, my cousin, was my best friend… I want to wait till until after the blood test before I jump into any conclusions."

Neji checked his watch, "the results should be coming in around today. Please continue your question."

All the attention is once again focused on the sole female in the group. It made her nervous all over again, especially since the environment is so silence, it makes it seem like the whole café has stopped whatever their doing just to listen to her question… or maybe it's just her nerves.

She cleared her throat before continuing, "if you are really my cousin Neji, then I am interested to know how you survived that… ordeal."

That question forced Neji to recall his earliest childhood memory before his foster parent brought him and Sasuke into their household.

Yes, the first person he met in the orphanage was Sasuke, but whatever happened before he met Sasuke he couldn't remember. All he can recall was that on the very first day his memory dates back, it was a rainy day and he found himself lying on a bed in a quiet room, hearing nothing but the pattering of the rain on the window sill.

* * *

_Pitter patter pitter patter…_

_When he first opened his eyes after what seemed like a hundred years, Neji found himself staring into a dull grey stained ceiling with peeling paint. His head ached like a thousand watt of lightning had struck him knocking him unconscious and his body was so numb, he only took in small breaths to reduce his muscle contractions. _

"_Where am I?" he thought, "where are my parents?" he paused and tried to picture his worried parents in mind before realizing something is very wrong, "who are my parents? Why am I here? I… I don't know… I can't remember."_

"_Hn," came a voice from a near corner of the room, "you're finally awake."_

"_What?" Neji muttered, "who are you?"_

"_My name is Sasuke, Uchiha Sasuke. What's yours?" the voice that happens to belong to a boy named Sasuke traveled into his ears._

"_I'm… I'm…" Neji stuttered, pushing himself to recall his identity, "I am…"_

"NEJI! NEJI!_" a feminine, young voice rang in his head. _

"_I'm Neji," he told Sasuke firmly, "where am I?"_

_Sasuke came in view and tried to pull Neji in an upright position for him to be able to see his partner as they talk. It took the small Sasuke quite some effort to do so, but with a little help from Neji, they managed to get Neji seated on the bed and leaning against the wall. Being a nice boy, Sasuke also placed a pillow between Neji's back and the wall to provide more comfort to the boy in agony. _

"_From what I heard," Sasuke answered, "while one of the caretakers was going to the wet market to get some groceries, she noticed you lying along the bank of the nearby stream. She doesn't know where you came from and brought you back to the facility." _

_Neji thanked Sasuke for dropping the details as his brain wasn't in its best condition at the moment. The ticking of the wall clock caught his attention and he noticed it's already the evening. _

"_How long have I been out?" he asked Sasuke. _

_Quickly, Sasuke did a count with his fingers and raised three in front of Neji's face, "three days!" _

_That made Neji frown, "has anyone came looking for me since?"_

_Sasuke looked away, aware of how hurt Neji might feel once the answer is thrown on him, "no. No one came."_

"_Oh, I think they've abandoned me," Neji muttered, tears welding in his eyes, "was I not good enough?"_

_His partner patted him on the head lightly, aware of how much pain he must be going through, "it's ok, it's ok. Hn, I'm your brother now, you have me."_

_That day, Neji sat there crying and Sasuke, kindly stayed beside him comforting him all the way. He might have lost a family that day, but Neji gained a life long brother. _

* * *

"… then when we were about eight, our parents adopted us and brought us into the family," Neji continued his story, "Sai was already there, as their first adopted son. A month later, Shino joined the family and there you have it, my so called 'life story'."

"Then you lead a rather pathetic life," Sai added.

That made Hinata laugh, finally, after a long time.

"I think I understand why you're so into that blond numbskull," Sai continued, stopping Hinata's laughter, "if it wasn't for him, you would've lived with the guilt of having 'killed' Neji and would've probably done something drastic-"

"Like kill myself," Hinata interrupted Sai, "yes, I almost wanted to kill myself when I saw Neji struggling in the stream. So will you help me?"

Sai shrugged, "I don't have a choice, do I?"

* * *

"Sakura!" Temari entered the room, only to find Sakura lying on her bed reading on of the many book she had, "I'm going out for a little while, I'll be back."

"Hmm," Sakura replied without sparing a glance in Temari's direction.

"Don't make me dinner," Temari told her only to answered by the same reply.

She rolled her eyes and headed out of the room, accidentally slamming the door in the process. The slight tremor from the slamming made Sakura's tower of books by her bed tumble down, creating a book mess in the room.

Sakura groaned and dog eared her current book before getting off her bed to stack the books up again.

As she slowly picked her books up, she caught sight of a book she hadn't seen for ages. It had been hidden at the bottom of the stack and only decided to reveal itself to her today.

What is this? Fate?

"Twilight," Sakura dropped her other books to replace _Twilight_ in her hands, "I almost forgot about you."

"_Sakura…"_

She spun around and frantically searched the room for the owner of the voice. But the problem is; she's the only one in the room.

"Ino, Tenten," Sakura shouted, "did you guys call me?"

"No!" they replied in unison.

"Than- arghh!" Sakura moaned, she brought one hand to her neck and messaged the area where the striking pain seems to zap through, "what the fuck?"

With one hand still on her neck and the other holding on to the book, Sakura lifted herself off the ground and sat on her bed.

"That was my imagination," Sakura told herself, "it's just some stupid reaction I have when I think about vampires. Just some stupid reaction."

She looked at the book in her hands with the dark cover and sighed, "you can't keep doing this to me."

"_Sakura…"_

"Shut up, Edward Cullen, call someone else's name, stop bothering me," she muttered, knowing that the voice is just her imagination, "shut up."

With one swift swing, she threw the book across the table where it flew under Temari's seldomly used bed.

"And stay there!" she told the book.

Although the rest of the books are still lying on the floor, Sakura couldn't be bothered anymore, all she felt like doing is sleep. So she laid back on her bed, but instead of shutting her eyes and falling into slumber, Sakura started thinking of something that happened earlier today.

"Why does he want to know such a thing?" Sakura asked herself, "I would never ever date Naruto because Hinata likes him and because I don't intend on stretching our relationship past 'platonic friends'.

"And why? Why didn't I ask Sasuke 'why'? Why he broke up with me?" she thought, "there has to be a reason… even if I don't really care.

"Could I be that I'm boring? Oh yes, that's possible. After all, I am a self proclaimed boring person. What else? He doesn't like me anymore? Hah, that doesn't really bother me," Sakura eyed the vague outline of the book under Temari's bed, "or perhaps he left me for my own safety, like why Edward left Bella…"

A moment of silence ensued…

"HAHAHAHA," Sakura broke out into a fit of laughter breaking the precious silence, "impossible. He's never so romantic, only in my dreams…"

"_Sakura…"_

That voice made her sit up this time.

It has occurred to her that the voice calling her name isn't necessarily Edward's voice but…

"Sasuke?" she called out dumbly as if she is expecting a reply, "crap. What is this? Look how nonsensical I have become! I'm hearing voices- I mean a voice- and I'm not even sleeping. I'll be damned if he rushes into my room this instant demanding something from me."

Just as Sakura thought that, the knob of her room twist and the door flew open revealing a figure glowing ominously with the light from the hall.

"What the f-"

"SAKURA! WHERE THE FUCK IS MY BLACK OPS BOX SET?" Tenten screamed, running around the room searching for it.

Sakura slapped her forehead and sighed, "I don't know Tenten."

"I can't believe I queued up to get it, chuck it in a corner of the house and totally forgot about it for one whole week!" Tenten exclaimed, kicking Sakura's books in every corner to look for the stupid box set, "where is it?"

"Look for it!" Sakura wanted to scream at her for scaring the fuck out of her.

Tenten kept silent and continued looking for the box set while Sakura rolled around in her bed finally deciding to take a nap before dinner would be served. But all she saw, all she dreamt about was Sasuke.

"I guess that's alright," Sakura murmured to herself, "I guess what you can't have in reality, is what you can have in fantasy."

"Ah- ha!" Tenten said as she pulled her box set from under Temari's bed, "my box se- damn it," she muttered when she realized what she took out was Sakura's dumb book- _Twilight_, "Sakura, you're darling book!"

When there was no reply, Tenten walked over to Sakura's bed and dropped the book in Sakura's hand, "don't lose it again.

"MY BLACK OPS!"

* * *

There was a knock on the door, Naruto lazily got up from the couch and dragged his feet to the door.

"Who is it?" Naruto groaned, wiping his eyes.

"It's me!" two voices said in unison.

He reached over and unlocked the door without bothering to check who 'me' would be. Lo and behold, it's the two most annoying people in his life- Kiba and Lee.

Naruto's jaw almost fell to the ground. The two most noisy people decide to come knocking on his door when he was about to sleep. Now it's certain that he would never be able to get a wink of sleep today.

"What is it?" Naruto muttered, obviously unhappy that they dropped in unannounced.

"Lee had some 'wonderful' news he has to share with us and couldn't tell us on the telephone," Kiba snapped at Lee, "now what's so important that I had to spare a few minutes off COD (Call Of Duty) to listen to?"

Naruto invited them in while they were bickering about the importance of COD. They sat on his couch and continued arguing while Naruto went to the fridge to get some soda pop for his 'guests'.

If his parent were still here, or at least his father, he wouldn't need to suffer this torture of having friends dropping by freely because they think you're family won't mind as they was never a family to begin with.

As Naruto walks back to the tiny living room he had in his cramp apartment, he passes the pictures he kept of his parents when they were still alive and gives the objects a faint smile. Although, in the pictures, his parents are always smiling, however, it feels like their smile is wider each time Naruto grins at them.

"Hey dad," Naruto murmured softly so Lee and Kiba couldn't hear, "if you were still here, this wouldn't have happened," he beckoned to Lee and Kiba, "those good for nothing pigs barging into my apartment like that."

"NARUTO!" Kiba screamed even though they were of close proximity, "I HAVE SOMETHING FUNNY TO TELL YOU!"

"Shush!" Naruto held a finger to his mouth, he heads to the living room and sits on a near by bean bag, "what is it?"

With his hands on his tummy and his mouth agape, Kiba is surely in the midst of laughing so hard, laughter can't escape his mouth. Ever felt like that before? To Naruto, the sight of Kiba being crazy is freaking hilarious.

"Lee, here, was trying to be a man and starts to talk about how he enjoys COD," Kiba said in between laughs, "and he said-"

"Shut up you old hag!" Lee punched Kiba in the arm.

Kiba didn't flinch and make it seem as though the punch didn't hurt one bit, "he said 'oh, I love COD, I have… BO!' What the fuck right?"

"BO?" Naruto asked Lee who wore an embarrassed look, "as in Body Odor?"

That made Kiba laugh harder than before, "no, Lee meant Black Ops!"

Naruto's mouth formed into an 'O' before copying Kiba and falling into a fit of laughter leaving Lee as the only one who is blushing madly in mortification.

_1 hour later… _

"I have BO!" Naruto said as he imitated Lee, "what the hell?"

Kiba, still laughing, "this is the funniest thing in like… forever!"

During that hour of continuous laughter, Lee had gotten over the embarrassment and switched to watch the television while the two nut heads next to him laugh their guts out.

"You came all the way to tell me this?" Naruto said, "that's lame."

Kiba shot up after hearing what Naruto said, "oh yes, what did we come here for?"

Lee spun around on Naruto's roller chair and faced the two boys with a serious look, "we originally came here because I wanted to tell you guys something."

The two other boys nodded their heads left their mouths wide open like they had came across an epiphany.

"I wanted to tell you guys that youthful Sakura…," Lee's brows started bouncing in a creepy way, "Sakura… BROKE UP WITH SASUKE!"

"And this concerns me because…?" Kiba added with a disappointed expression.

To Naruto the news was like God appearing in front of him, saying the world would never come to an end and that he would be the president of the Ramen world! This is big! Huge! Ginormous! Now I can have a chance with Sakura since Suck- suke is out of the way! Woot!

Then something hits him like a thousand ton weight; could it be that Hinata had helped him? Was it her doing that Sakura broke up with Sasuke? I must be her, or why would Sasuke just break up with Sakura? They were getting along fine!

Wait! He shouldn't be happy. Not for something as tragic as this. Sakura must be heartbroken! Devastated! Forlorn! Any girl would be when Sasuke breaks up with them!

"What should I do?" Naruto thought, "call her and comfort her?" A grin formed on Naruto's face as he imagined what Sakura might say to him during their conversation.

_Oh Naruto, you're such a sweet, romantic, considerate guy! I have thought wrongly of you, forgive me! How could I have been so foolish as to not see your handsomeness and you're masculinity and you're courageous heart? How could I have chosen Suck- suke over you- the manliest man of all men? Oh I love you Naruto, take me away and make me yours!_

"Ho ho ho," Naruto snickered under his breath, "what a brilliant plan."

* * *

After that 'talk' with Hinata, Neji made it his responsibility to send Hinata home while Sai drove home first to commence the plan as soon as possible. Well actually, it isn't really a plan, just a task, there isn't a structured way to go about this, they only have an objective and a goal, thus this is classified as a task.

Anyway, when he entered the house, he found Sasuke lying on the couch watching the evening news. Their parents were out, as usual, and the only people in the house were him, Sasuke and Shino.

Shino is probably in his room studying the structure of the insect he recently caught, leaving Sasuke and Sai as the only people in the living room.

"You're back," Sasuke muttered when he heard the main door close behind him.

"Aw… you care?" Sai said in a mocking tone as he took a seat next to Sasuke, "finally leading your long lost single life?"

Sasuke turned to face Sai and gave him a nonchalant look, "it wasn't 'long lost', our relationship lasted as long as your facebook wall."

"Well then, that must be a really short period of time."

"And why are you doing this?"

"Just wondering what I might feel like to miss someone."

"It feels like… nothing."

"_Once again, if you know of the whereabouts of the following teenagers, please do contact the police and so that we would be able to bring these sex trafficking offenders into court. Hamasaki Wasaki, 17…"_

"It's a pity those teens were kidnapped," Sai said as they watched the faces of the teenagers flash across the screen, "someone would just job them away and leave the people closest to them devastated."

Sasuke laid down on the couch, not answering Sai, rather keeping his eyes glued to the screen. 'What ever Sai said was not an analogy' he chanted to himself repeatedly blocking all sound and movement from him. He doesn't want to admit to feeling afraid the one day, Naruto would just 'rob' Sakura away and leave him… devastated- no, that would be too dramatic. It might leave him regretting.

What is this? Why did he even break up with her in the first place?

"Fuck, why?" he thought, "I can't even remember my reason… I didn't even need to give her a reason. Was it just a compulsion? A need? Or had his feelings changed? Yes, he realized he was only interested in her, he never loved her," mentally, Sasuke punched a metal wall, "then why is this thought haunting me? Why am I constantly afraid that Sakura would accept Naruto's offer to be his girlfriend? It's not her to do that. It's not-"

"Sasuke," Sai nudged him, snapping him back into reality, "is there something on your mind?"

Should he tell Sai?

"Do you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?" Sasuke asked, immediately slapping himself afterwards for saying such a stupid thing.

Sai raised a brow, "no, I never felt like Katy Perry, and have never felt."

"Sorry," Sasuke shook his head, "rephrase, do you-"

"No," Sai stopped him, "don't rephrase, rather get to the point."

That made Sasuke sigh, he wanted to beat around the bush before going straight to the point. If he just dived into the main idea, Sai find him ridiculous… But then again, Sai can't find him ridiculous, because Sai can't.

"Why did I break up with Sakura?" Sasuke asked in the softest tone possible without giving away too much, "do you know?"

Sai kept his straight expression as usual and sat there, thinking for a moment before answering to Sasuke's query.

"I have a hunch that I was the one who indirectly convinced you that you do not love Sakura, but rather, you're only interested in her," Sai said.

Sasuke nodded, "yes I know I'm only interested, but how does that lead to me breaking up with her?"

"I guess you immediately linked it to a waste of time."

"Waste of time?"

"Yes, since there isn't anything there to begin with, you think that living on it would just be wasting time. But now you're starting to realize that something grew while you were 'wasting your time'."

"And was that from you or the bumblebee book?"

"Me."

That shocked Sasuke in a way. Sai has never shown any feeling while saying it, but it invokes some much in Sasuke, it was almost hard to believe Sai would be undergoing a surgical procedure to give this wise boy feelings. But some how, I doesn't scare him because he knew that stupid book wouldn't be able to churn out such meaningful words that Sai would put in effort to memorise- that was quite a long phrase.

"You're also probably worrying if Sakura would agree to be Naruto's girlfriend if he asked," Sai added, scaring Sasuke even more, "since Naruto is head over heels in love with her."

Sasuke threw his hands in the air as if admitting defeat, "what? You're feeling- less brain can read minds now? And how do you know that Naruto is in love with Sakura? I don't even know if I am, but how do you know someone else is?"

Sai shook his head, "Sasuke, it's part of the expression. I can't say 'head of heels interested in Sakura' right? That doesn't sound appropriate. I suggest you call Sakura and ask her yourself."

"Are you fucking out of your mind?" Sasuke wanted to throw the cup of coffee he held into Sai's face, but restrained, "you know how unlike me that would be?"

It occurred to Sai that if he had feelings, he would probably laugh at the absurdity of Sasuke's latest statement. He tried to gather the feeling in him to make himself laugh by opening his mouth and letting out whatever sound that felt like escaping his empty vessel.

Nothing came out.

Sasuke, seeing Sai doing something weird with himself, chuckled.

"Whatever, today, you haven't been acting like yourself. You've been thinking more than usual, thinking too much actually. You're more silent and many times found running away in your own world. If you call Sakura and ask her about her opinion, I think that would be the most 'Sasuke' thing you've done today."

"You're also not like yourself today, Sai," Sasuke retorted, slightly offended, "all of a sudden you're wise. What's with that?"

* * *

The rickety elevator didn't scare her anymore. Once bitten, twice… not that shy. What probably made up most of her fear is being alone in this god forsaken place. She came alone today so that she wouldn't be too much of a bother to Shikamaru, over the time, she found that her reliance on Shikamaru have grown overwhelmingly, that wasn't suppose to happen, thus it was a bad sign. Now, she's doing this on her own, without Shikamaru, no need for his help, no longer dragging him into situations that her curiosity pulled her into.

"Karin?" she called as she pressed her doorbell, "you there?"

Silence followed.

"Karin?" Temari started to knock to the door, "Ka- oh my fucking hell!"

As Temari was knocking the door, the lock came lose and the door swung open revealing the living room of Karin's apartment.

Without hesitation, Temari stepped in, reminding herself to bring her shoes in and closing the door behind her. She wandered furthered into the familiar living room, it had it's light on so Temari suspected that Karin was either in the shower or out for a short while- after all, the door wasn't exactly locked.

"Karin?" Temari called against as she walks around the entire apartment looking for traces of life form, "are you home?"

No one answered.

Temari returned to the living room and called Karin's mobile.

_Ring!_

That scared Temari causing her to gasp loudly.

_Ring! Ring!_

Temari realized that the ringing object wasn't the home phone but it is Karin's mobile. She followed the ringing sound and eventually found the phone carelessly thrown under the couch.

She pulled it out and rejected her own call only to realize that she wasn't the only one that have been calling Karin, practically every administration staff had tried to contact her at least twice today.

_Ring!  
_

This is it's her phone. Temari looked at the called ID and realized that Shikamaru is trying to contact her. She can't let him know that she's in Karin's apartment or he might come and 'help' her, she is desperate to get her self reliance back up again.

_Ring!_

She decided to just let her phone ring until it redirects him to her mailbox. While waiting for that to happen, Temari looked around the apartment, examining the little things Karin kept in her house. When the ringing stopped, Temari is in the tiny kitchen checking out Karin's dirty sink.

"Ew…" Temari made a face at the sight of the food, "the food is giving off such a bad stench, they seem like they've been there since last night."

Then it hit her.

"Since last night," Temari thought, "then wouldn't there be the food she ate for breakfast and lunch today?"

She rushed to the dust bin and tried to find signs of take away food, but no paper cartons, Styrofoam boxes, nothing.

"Maybe she went out to eat," Temari concluded, "then her mobile… why was it under the couch? There were at least three calls every hour and she can't answer a single one of them? Maybe she's not willing to talk to anyone, but I think she would talk to me. I mean I called a gazillion times. Unless… she wasn't home the whole day. Then she would've brought her phone…. does that mean that… that something happened to her last night?"

_Ring!_

Temari ran back into the living room to answer the call, but the call was for Karin. She checked the caller ID, but it said 'unknown number'. Should she pick up or not?

The phone rang for quite a while before stopping when Temari decided to pick it up.

"Hello?" Temari answered, expecting a reply that never came; the caller just slammed the phone after hearing her answer.

"What was that about?" she tried to call back but the phone wouldn't allow so.

Her eyes scanned Karin's walls for a clock to check the time, she had failed to don on her watch before leaving the house. The clock is above the small television in the living room and is next to a wall calendar. Upon closer inspection, Temari noticed that Karin has the habit of striking off each day with a red mark on top of the television.

She looked at today's date- uncrossed.

Yesterday's date- uncrossed.

Temari did what a classic, cliché film character would do when she is stunned- drop the object in her hand.

"Did something really happen to Karin yesterday night?" Temari asked herself, noticing how mildly her voice shook.

_Ring! _

With a horrified expression on her face, Temari turned to face Karin's cherry pink phone on the table vibrating with the incoming of a call. That scared Temari, it was as if the called had been watching her and knew the most appropriate and mind shaking timings to call.

_Ring!_

She looked at the screen and the words it flashed 'UNKOWN CALLER'.

"This must be the same person from earlier," Temari concluded, outstretching her hand to grab the phone from the table, "he knows I'm here, there isn't a need to pretend."

Slowly, Temari pressed the green accept button and brought the phone close to her ear, "hello?"

"_Where are you… Karin?_"

The caller's voice was croaky, it made her recall the mysterious phone call received in the movie 'The Ring' where the caller would say 'seven days' in a creepy voice before hanging up.

This person did a very accurate impersonation of the 'The Ring' caller.

"_Are you at home… Karin?"_

Temari's eyes flew to the door. Although she closed it, she left it unlocked. Quickly, she made a dash for the door, holding it to it's frame with her body and locking the door with her free hand.

"_Oh, so you are… my dear Karin, a locked door won't keep you away from me… I will definitely get you back… Karin."_

She didn't want to listen to that voice anymore, so Temari threw the phone to the nearest wall and watched it crumble upon impact, dropping in bits on to the ground beneath it.

"I have to get out of here," Temari thought, grabbing her phone from the ground, "but wait," she stopped herself right in front of the locked door, "what if the caller is right outside the door?"

There wasn't a peep hole on the door, what kind of crappy door is this? This really started to make Temari panic like crazy.

"What do I do? What do I do?" she chanted walking back and forth in front of the door, "what do I do?"

_Knock! Knock!_

Temari's eyes widened, was that the sound of someone knocking the door on the other side?

_Knock! Knock!_

There it is again.

Her breath quickened and her heart raced, the caller has come to get Karin! But Karin isn't here… what if he takes her as a hostage to lure Karin in?

"Karin would never exchange herself for me!" Temari thought, "I'm so screwed. I should have brought Shikamaru along, he's always the one saving me…"

_Knock! Knock!_

_Ring!_

It was her phone.

"It's Shikamaru!" she smiled fiercely seeing that there is hope, she answered to phone, "Shikamaru where the fuck are you? I'm so sorry! I came to Karin's house by myself cause I didn't want to bother you because you're always saying that I'm a drag and I really didn't want to be a drag and I don't want to rely on you too much, I'm losing all my self reliance," she took a deep breath, realizing how much time she's wasting by blabbing on and on on unnecessary stuff, "I need you're help now cause I think someone's going to kill me and I don't know what to do, call the cops. I'm at Karin's house, call the cops to-"

"Temari," Shikamaru spoke the first word since picked up, "let me in."

"What?" she realized the knocking stopped.

"Let me in," Shikamaru said in an irritated tone, "I'm outside Karin's apartment."

Without hesitation, Temari unlocked the door and found Shikamaru stand in front of her with his arms crossed and an annoyed expression on his face. Even the most troublesome thing can't paste the kind of look on his face. He must be really pissed.

Even so, she felt a tidal wave crash over her and cooling her entire body from the extreme heat anxiety had given her. She is, all of a sudden, relieved it is Shikamaru.

"I bet you're pissed, right?" Temari said, bracing herself for his fiery breath of rage, his fireball of fury, his punch of madness.

Contrary to Temari's belief, Shikamaru gave her, instead, a hug. He took only a step to cover the distance between them and pulled his hands around her and embraces her in his warmth. A different kind of heat engulfed her; different from the previous one she was trying to get rid of.

"Don't do that again," he said to the shocked her, "don't ever go to a dangerous place without me. Ever again."

"Hah," she laughed quietly, "I have learnt my lesson and I would never do such reckless things again."

"And," Shikamaru spoke, still holding her, "you were never a bother to me, you're far from a bother. I want you to rely on me so much that you lose all your self reliance, because that's what I'm here for."

Amidst the relief, the mush and the regret, something easily slipped from Temari's mind, but now, it came crashing down on her like a tsunami- the caller.

Immediately, she pulled Shikamaru away, "we have to leave, now. Someone called and told me that he's going to get Karin. I bet he's making his way here, right now."

Shikamaru took Temari's hand and pulled her away from Karin's apartment. Temari closed the down behind her before make a mad dash for the elevator with Shikamaru.

But just as they are a few doors from the elevator, the arrows above the elevator lit up, signaling that the person in the elevator has chosen to stop on this level.

She turned to Shikamaru for an answer and he just pulled her towards the door of the nearest apartment. He pulled out Temari's house keys from her pocket and brought it closer to the apartment door.

"Don't look at the person who exits the door," Shikamaru whispered to Temari as he pretend to have just locked the apartment door, "you have publicly establish your knowledge on Karin and Suigetsu, if someone were to get her, they would get you too. Avoid eye contact."

Temari played along and pretended to have just worn her shoes and is prepared to exit their apartment to go out. She tried to avoid the thought that someone who might kill her walking towards her to Karin's apartment.

"Ok, all locked up," Shikamaru said, patting the keys in his pocket and smiling to Temari, "ready?"

She returned a smile, "yes," she took his hand.

"Where to for dinner then?" he asked her, as they started to walk to the elevator, closing the distance between the man who has just exited it.

The two teenagers just looked at each other, pretending to be too absorbed in their conversation to even notice the man walking in their direction.

"I don't know," Temari said cheerfully, hiding all forms of fear in her voice skillfully, "maybe that new café down in town?"

"Hah, that's a good idea," Shikamaru agreed enthusiastically, "we better hurry though, it gets pretty crowded during dinner time."

With that, Shikamaru grabbed Temari's hand and they briskly walked towards the elevator. They didn't slow down or speed up as they pass by the man, they treated him like an individual they don't know and don't care about.

Temari kept her fake smile plastered on her face and laughed at Shikamaru's antics like she isn't afraid of anything. As the went pass the man, Temari caught sight of his face; he wore spectacles and had his long grey hair in a low pony tail. The man wore simple clothes; a plain purple shirt and long olive green cargo pants.

Their- I mean- Shikamaru's plan seem to work perfectly as the man walked past them without a care as to who they are, he had his eyes set on Karin's door and nothing else.

Once they are out of his sight, they ran towards the elevator and quickly jabbed the button so that the man wouldn't have time to realize who they really were and run towards them in time to join them in the elevator.

Obediently, the doors of the elevator slammed shut and quickly brought the teenagers down to the first floor. They remain calm through the elevator ride and when the doors of the elevator opened again to reveal the entrance of the building, the two of them resumed their characters and walked out without care or worry.

Once out of the building, Temari spotted a black car packed behind Shikamaru's sleek Posche. Just as Shikamaru had warned her, the man would definitely have his accomplice waiting for him outside the building.

"_Just continue pretending_," Shikamaru's voice echoed in her head.

Thank god the world consisted of inobservant people otherwise, Shikamaru and Temari would not have been able to slip into the black Posche and drive off without having any of the bad guys suspect a thing.

They managed to avoid danger without killing anyone, without hurting anyone, without the help of high tech weapons and gadgets, without exciting car chases, they just slipped past their enemy so easily.

"We're better than those stupid secret agents in movies!" Temari laughed when they are far away from the building, "you have to admit that was pretty exciting."

Shikamaru gave her an annoyed look, several magnitudes lesser than the previous one, "you have to be kidding me. That was absolutely troublesome!"

That made her smile, "you know what?"

"What?"

"We've just got into a hell lot of trouble."

"And you're laughing."

* * *

"Hello, Ino here, who is this?"

"Hello, can I speak to Sakura?"

"Isn't this Naruto?"

"Yes it is," Naruto replied, "what happened to Sakura?"

Ino pulled out four plates from the drawer and set them on the table, "hey, Temari's not eating right?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not talking to you!" Ino said, irritated, "Ten?"

Naruto heard a faint 'yes' in the background, he also heard Ino asking Tenten what the hell is Sakura doing and Tenten merely replied 'sleeping'.

Ino pulled the phone back to her ear, "hello, Naruto, I'll get Sakura for you in a sec, hold."

Ino made her way to the bed room and saw Sakura sleeping peacefully on her bed, with a smile on her face and _Twilight_ in her arms. The sight of that made Ino smile to herself and regret what she was about to do, after all, who would want to be rudely awakened from a beautiful dream?

But still… Sakura's should be up to prepare for dinner.

"Sasuke is right," Ino thought as she inched towards Sakura's sleeping form, "Sakura does sleep like an angel."

She nudged Sakura causing her to turn to the other direction, "hey sleepy head, wakie wakie! You have a phone call."

Sakura groaned flipped around before starting to open her eyes, welcoming the bright light of the room.

"From who?" Sakura asked, sleepily.

"Naruto."

"What? Why would he call me? Gawd."

She took the phone from Ino and pulled it to her ear, "what is it?"

"Are you ok?" Naruto asked, genuinely worried, "you don't sound good."

Sakura sat up from her bed, "of course I don't sound good, you woke me up!"

_Ding Dong!_

"I'LL GET THE DOOR!" Ino shouted as she walked out of the room, "that must be Hinata."

"Is that all," Naruto asked, "aren't you sad that Sasuke broke up with you?"

It was then that Sakura realized that _Twilight_ is in her hands, she had been holding it in her sleep.

"What the fuck," Sakura muttered, "how did it get here?"

The last time she checked, she threw it under Temari's bed which is on the other side of the room. If books could walk, why couldn't the books she had strewn all over the floor get themselves back to the shelves? How the hell did _Twilight_ end up in her hands! Was the wind that strong? Did someone purposefully place it in her hands, wait- did Sasuke come? Has she gone out of her mind?

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted over the phone reminding Sakura that he's still there, "what happened?"

"I… nothing," Sakura said softly, "I'm not upset. We have our reasons… I guess."

"What were they again?" she thought to herself.

She stood up to tidy up her bed only to find a single strand of raven blue hair on her pillow. The first thing that came to her mind was that Sasuke did come into her room, then it reminded her of the first time she thought this way and the hair turned out to be Hinata's.

But what if it really was Sasuke's hair? Did he just enter her room while she's sleeping? Would her friends allow that? Then what would he do?

She can imagine Sasuke quietly slipping under her blanket with her and pulling her head to his chest. Then he would look for her hand and entwine his fingers with hers so they fit perfectly together. Sasuke would probably watch her sleep in his arms and caress her hair ever so often to tell himself she's really there.

Yes, that is something she can see Sasuke doing, something he would probably do if he had the guts.

Maybe that's why she loves him so much; because she likes the part of him that expresses whatever he feels through actions and not words. She likes how he can make her feel like a girl from a romance novel and create this magic around them, making it seem like a fake real setting in this unimaginative world.

"Good you don't feel unhappy," Naruto said, "I was starting to get really worried about you."

"Why? Why are you worried about me?" Sakura asked, "is it because you want me to think you're kind? That you care about me? You want me to know that you're always there for me, is that it?"

Naruto is speechless, Sakura's sudden outburst caught him off guard.

"I know you're all that Naruto, I know you're kind, you care about me and you're always there. But…" she cringed, "OPEN YOU'RE EYES FAGGOT! SOMEONE OUT THERE LIKES YOU LIKE CRAZY AND YOU'RE TREATING HER LIKE SHIT! WHY ARE YOU SO PERSISTANT ON SOMETHING THAT WOULD DEFINITELY NEVER HAPPEN? WHY ARE YOU SO FUCKING STUBBORN?"

"Sakura I…" Naruto's voice was weak, "aren't you doing the same thing?"

She inhaled a sharp breath of air. Yes, she is doing the same thing, but… no, she does not want to admit it. She does not like the way this conversation is turning out, the tables have turned and now, she's the one in the spotlight. How can they be alike? She only saw Naruto as a friend and nothing else, the further she would stretch would be best friends and that's it. But Naruto, he's so unreadable, sometimes he's like a douchbag to Hinata, although he might have meant something else, and sometimes, he can be really nice to her. He doesn't even show if he accepts her feelings of rejects it, he is so unreadable in that sense. Is he even aware of Hinata's feelings for him? People are saying 'no', she wants to believe it too, so she joins them and say 'hey, Naruto's so dense, he doesn't get that Hinata has a crush on him!'. However, all this time, nobody really went to ask Naruto if he knew about it, nobody, and they all make this false conclusion that he doesn't know. Does he really not know or is he pretending?

"You don't even know who this girl is," Sakura said with as much courage as she could muster, "how can you just ignore it?"

"I know who she is," Naruto replied monotonously, which is unlike him, "she's your best friend, right?"

At that point, Sakura really want to rip Naruto's head off. Since he knew that Hinata likes him, why the hell did he keep silent? Why the hell did he ignore it and pretended like he doesn't know? Fuck.

_Ring!_

That was her mobile.

Sakura frantically looked around her area to find the damn phone but it is no where in sight. She tossed her blanket off her bed and kicked some of her books aside before someone entered the room with her phone in hand.

"Sakura," it was Hinata, "looking for this?"

"Sakura?" Naruto called through the phone, "everything alright?"

"Sakura," Hinata called her again, "aren't you going to pick up?"

If Hinata finds out that the person on the other side of the phone is Naruto, she might probably feel devastated. It's bad enough that Naruto doesn't seem to return her feelings but it's even worse to find out the boy you have been crushing on prefers you best friend.

"It's Sasuke calling," Hinata added interrupting Sakura's train of thoughts.

"Bye," she said curtly to Naruto before hanging up and retrieving her mobile from Hinata, "Thanks Hina."

"Dinner's going to be ready," Hinata said as she walked out of the room.

Sakura closed the door after Hinata left and looked at her ringing phone with the words 'SASUKE' flashing on the screen repeatedly.

"Hello?" she answered, "Sasuke?"

"Hey Sakura," Sasuke replied coolly, "I was just calling to… I don't know why I called."

She laughed at how weird he is being today, he's normally cool and prepared, knowing what to say anytime and anywhere, but today, he just stumbled.

"Then I'll wait," she said, while picking up _Twilight_ from her bed, "I'll wait until you have something to tell me, until then, I'll be reading."

"Ok… then, read out loud."

"_I'd never given much thought to how I would die- thought I'd had reason enough in the last few months- but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this_," Sakura read from the Preface of _Twilight_, "_I stared without breathing across the long room into the dark eyes of the hunter, and he looked pleasantly back at me._"

"_Twilight_?" Sasuke gently interrupted, "that seems like your favorite book."

"Nah, it's just that… nothing. I'm continuing; _Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something_," Sakura paused, realizing a possible conversation topic in front of her, "would you do that?"

There was silence from Sasuke for a moment, "it really depends on the person, and Sakura," he paused for a while, "were you talking to anyone before you answered my call?"

That caught Sakura by surprise, she was very sure she picked up Sasuke's phone call after she hung up with Naruto. How would Sasuke know that she was talking to someone on the phone before him? Is he a psychic?

"Cause the phone rang for a really long time," Sasuke said, being nosy all of a sudden, "if it was someone important, then I apologize for interrupting with the conversation."

"No Sasuke," Sakura replied softly, "it wasn't anyone important."

"Oh, ok."

It hit her like a meteorite, although Sasuke said that he didn't know he called, she highly doubt that, because, suddenly, she realized that he had asked her a question earlier today which she hasn't answered yet. Maybe that's why he called her, he wanted her to answer that question, but he doesn't want to be the one that brings it up because it would seem like her reply mattered a lot. Yes, Sasuke is that kind of person.

"Are you going to continue reading?" Sasuke asked her.

"No," she said, "about today's question..."

That made Sasuke jolt up from his current position; he has been waiting for her to bring this up since the beginning of the conversation. Of course he could've called her and immediately ask her about her answer, but that would seem too pushy, but wasn't he pushy when he asked about her previous phone call? What the heck. Moreover, by diving straight into the question at the beginning of the phone call, that would make it seem like her answer is the only thing that has been bothering him the while fucking day. No way is he going to let her know that's the case.

"Yes," Sasuke tried to sound indifferent, "what about it?"

"Well, Naruto were to ask me, I would say-"

"SAKURA!" Ino screamed from the living room.

"WAIT A SEC, I'M COMING!" Sakura yelled back.

"NO THE FOOD WOULD GET COLD, FOREHEAD!"

"DAMN IT, YOU NEVER HEARD OUT THE MICROWAVE?"

"JUST GET YOU FUCKING ASS OUT HERE NOW MISSY, OR ELSE!"

Sakura rolled her eyes and returned to the phone with Sasuke, "sorry Sasuke, I have to go for dinner now."

"Wait- what?" Sasuke tried to restrain the annoyance in his voice, "before going, just tell me your answer."

"FOREHEAD!" Ino shouted again.

"I have to go Sasuke," Sakura's words quickly rolled out of her mouth, "Ino's wrath is scary. Bye. I'll tell you tomorrow."

"Wh-"

"Promise."

She hung up the phone and smiled to herself, "he really wants to know."

Whatever she is thinking of made her feel like the devil's incarnate; she really wants to see how Sasuke copes with his rather apparent curiosity. Should she tell him tomorrow? Hah, or the day after. But she promised to tell him her reply tomorrow, so tomorrow it is then? Should she keep this promise?

"What would Sasuke do if he really wants to know the answer?" Sakura thought to herself, standing in the middle of the messy bedroom, "I wonder."

"_Sakura," Sasuke had her cornered, with one hand slammed against the wall just inches from her cheek and the other rested gently on her shoulder, "what would you say?"_

_She smirked, "why do you want to know?"_

_His originally angry, scrunched up face loosened, erasing the creases on his face, returning it to its soft, smooth complexion. The barring teeth now disappeared under his full pair of lips and his pale skin took a more flustered tone. What would be the more apparent change on his face, she thought, would be his eyes, how they changed back to they're ebony shade from it's cold, hard, orange hue. _

A small laugh escaped her lips; she noticed how oftenly she associates Sasuke with Edward Cullen. The similarities are uncanny, if you do not link Edward Cullen to Robert Pattinson; they both have pale skin, full red lips, the most piercing gaze and has the body that any man or lesbian would desire. It wouldn't surprise her is one day, Sasuke comes up to her baring his fangs and hypnotizing her with his golden, orange eyes.

"_Because, I do not want you to end up with that knucklehead," he replied, words feeling like honey to her ears._

"_So who can I end up with in this brief love story?" she asked, waiting for that long waited reply._

_A grinned spread across Sasuke's face as he closed the gap between the both of them, his hands made their way around her waist and pulled her closer to him. She can feel the intensity of the moment, like the world stopped revolving just so that this moment can be amplified. Yes, it's coming. _

"_M-"_

"How many times must I can you," Ino scolded, marching into the room with a ladle in her hand, "get out for dinner."

Sakura felt like punching the girl, but with that ladle in her hand, who know who would be the one going for dinner bruised.

"Gawd Ino," she muttered, dragging her feet out of the room, "since when did you become my mother?"

* * *

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

"Are you kidding me?" Sasuke muttered as he looked at the screen flashing 'CALL ENDED', "she just hung up? Like that?" Sasuke proceeded to recklessly tossing his phone to the ground and watching it slide across the room, clashing with the opposite wall and dismantling itself upon collision, "fuck."

Lazily, he let himself fall backwards, landing with a soft 'thud' on his bed. Then, Sasuke watched the ceiling, quietly, like something amazing would happen anytime soon, but all he saw was the tiny specks of dust floating in the air with the light rays from the ceiling lights reflecting off it.

"_That's Bromian Motion_," he could hear Sakura saying to him in his head, "_it proves that air particles are in constant random motion._"

"Really?" he replied to her mental voice, "I didn't know."

He did.

"_I'll tell you tomorrow. Promise."_

"Tomorrow it is then."

* * *

"And milk," Kakashi shouted from his study room, "OH AND NEVER FORGET COFFEE!"

The door slammed. Kakashi had sent Anko on a late night errand to get a list of groceries he promised he would get, eventually, but didn't. It soon ticked Anko off that they were running out of supplies and had to resort to eating last week's leftovers for their meals.

Kakashi leant back against his chairs and glances at the near by book shelf. His eyes fell on a thick book with a grand looking spine with the words 'Great History of Konoha: A Story of its forefathers' written across book. The pen he stuck in his mouth earlier wobbled up and down as Kakashi chewed on its end while recalling what he had overheard today morning.

* * *

_Earlier that day..._

_He made his way to the principal's office to discuss his resignation. In his hand, he held a white envelope which he intends to pass to Tsuande and swiftly make his departure without having too much trouble. _

_Originally, he had came to this school as a teacher for a mission, now that the organization that had sent him on this mission is down, he is no longer on a mission but living in Konoha West High as an official member of the staff. _

_The problem is, he is not a qualified teacher; he can't teach English, Japanese, Math, Science, not even Gym- because he doesn't want to work along side Gai-! By staying in this school, he is receiving a salary for appearing in class, making the students do self learning and then returning home. _

_It's a wonder why Tsuande decided to let him stay on as a teacher. _

"_After resigning," he thought as he enters the office, "I'll probably travel around and do dangerous stuff to earn money to get by…"_

_The usual person he'd meet as the reception- Shizune- isn't at her desk right now. Kakashi looked around for anyone that might help him before becoming impatient and deciding to head to the principal's room without making an announcement. _

_As he was a few steps from the principal's room, he heard voices in the room. He was never one to eavesdrop but some part of the conversation caught his attention. _

"…_all I know is that its something passed down from our predecessors after the Brushogun Revolution and everyone is after that book, that's it. I think we have the right to know what this book contains since we are putting our lives on the line for it."_

"_Isn't that Kurenai?" Kakashi thought, "what? That sounds ridiculous like she's putting her life at risk for a book. Then this book must be really important."_

"… _this book contains-"_

"_Kakashi sen- sei," Shizune voice traveled in from the other side of the door, "what are you doing here, Tsuande sama hasn't granted permission for you to meet her yet."_

_He tried to listen on to what Tsuande wanted to say about the book although Shizune had caught him, but Tsaunde must have heard as she stopped talking and the people in the room kept silent. _

_Shizune, lead him to the waiting area, which he sat at for a while before watching Asuma and Kurenai leave the room with disappointed expressions on their faces. When they saw him, they seem to be shooting daggers at him with their eyes. _

"_So… I ruined their chances of knowing what's in the book?" Kakashi pondered as he smiled at them. _

"_Kakashi sen- sei," Shizune stood up from her desk and beckoned him to Tsunade's room, "you may enter."_

_When he entered the room, Tsuande is drinking her sake calmly with her elbows on the table and her eyes directed at him. He took a seat and watched her watch him. _

"_She's probably wondering if she should kill he now or later," he joked to himself, "kill me fast or slow."_

"_Kakashi sen- sei," she spoke, "what are you here for?"_

_He remembered the white envelope in his hands passed it to her despite feeling the need to stay in the school and eavesdrop more on this 'book'. But… Anko is capable of doing so. _

"_I want to resign," Kakashi said politely as Tsunade opens the letter and reads its contents, "I'll take my leave now."_

_Surprisingly, Tsuande didn't stop him nor did she show any signs of wanting to talk to him about what he had heard earlier on. All she did is keep a straight face and accept his resignation with her silence. _

* * *

"Could that be the secret item?" Kakashi asked himself, "and who's the good guy? Tsunade or the Akatsuki? Moreover, should I give a damn?"

"_It'll be fun to look for this 'book'."_

"Fun?" he said, skeptically, to a flashback of Anko had told him after hearing about this secret book, "what's so fun about looking for a stinking book?"

"_I think we have the right to know what this book contains since we are putting our lives on the line for it."_

"Oh yes," Kakashi nodded his head and stroked his chin in a wise man way, "of course its fun; its dangerous!"

In a flash, Kakashi is standing right next to the book shelf with the thick book in his hands. He flipped through the first few pages and skimmed through the passage until one sentence caught his eye.

… _After the Brushogun Revolution Hashirama Senju, the first Hokage, wrote down all the secrets of Konoha in a single book. This book is said to contain a detail map out of Konoha's structure and anyone who processes this book would be able to locate Konoha's source of wealth…_

"Wealth?" Kakashi read out loud, "Konoha's doesn't have oil or any natural resources that can be counted as a source of 'wealth'. What is this wealth referring to?"

_Ring! _

"Yes?" Kakashi answered.

"Its me Kakashi."

"Pein?"

"Yes, it's me," Pein replied, "I called to ask you for a favor."

Kakashi spat the pen out of his mouth and watch it land nicely in the pen holder, giving an air punch upon his achievement, "you want me to cover up for you absence?"

"No," Pein said, "after what happened in Suna, I'm am convinced that you're someone we can trust, thus, we would like to seek your cooperation on this mission we have."

"Whoa, you're so diplomatic," Kakashi laughed, "and what mission would this be?"

"We are planning to look for a book."

That last comment made Kakashi straightened his back and glare at the history book in hand. Did the Akatsuki stop coming to school because they've decided to look for this book after digging information from Tsuande? Are they part of Tsuande's little team or are they another team?

All of a sudden, this book seems like the most valuable thing of the moment. Its like everyone is searching for this book. How is it that everyone thought of looking for the book at the same time?

"You're silence can only mean one thing," Pein said, "Tsuande had already approached you."

"No," Kakashi quickly made up for the silence, "I was just thinking about something I heard while eavesdropping on Tsunade about a 'book'."

At that point, Kakashi can imagine Pein's eyes widening and his hands pulling the phone closer to his ear, smashing it in his skin so that he would be able to hear what Kakashi is about to say.

"What did you over hear?" he asked with a tint of interest in his voice.

Kakashi shook his head, "well all I heard was that the book is extremely important and Kurenai and Asuma are putting their lives on the line for this."

Pein waited for Kakashi to continue, but when he realized that Kakashi's silence meant that that's all he got, Pein made a sigh of disappointment.

"I see," Pein muttered, "very well then, so does this mean that you've pledge alliance with us?"

* * *

Tenten looked at the time on her wrist watch and glanced at Sakura, "now?"

Sakura nodded thoughtfully, "don't blame me if you get appendicitis!"

But Tenten is no longer there to hear Sakura's warning as she was already out the door getting on her running gear.

It's been ages since she ran and she's missing the thrill of the wind in her hair and the stretching of her muscles. To her, running is like a free massage, there's the constant kneading and stretching on the muscles and the flexing of the skin. She wonders why people pay such extravagant prices to go to massage parlors when a regular jog does the same thing.

Another thing on her mind would be her irregular jogging routine. She used to jog every afternoon after school back when she's still in Junior High, but now, it seems like gaming, homework and social life have chucked away her running periods.

Some part of her is telling herself that running late at night with little people on the streets it dangerous, especially with the increasing number of kidnapping in her area. But another part of her is begging her to continue and allow the hormones secreted from the run spread through her body. Imagine the thrill.

Its already night, evening just past by so quickly. The only thing lighting up the streets are the street lamps which burn ever so dimming due to the low maintenance. Since they don't live in the city, Konoha Central, they did not enjoy the sounds of cars as they drive by the streets at night as everyone in their area is probably sitting in front of the telly, at home, watching the late night news before tucking themselves into bed. Crazy her _had_ to get a night run.

There weren't many sounds, as she had observed. Mostly, the noise came from the slamming of her feet against the concrete street and the panting of her tired lungs. The other sounds came from the croaking of the frogs or the rustling of leaves in the wind, but that's it, it's almost silent.

Perhaps she'll stop by the 24 hour convenience store along the way and run through it so that the air conditioning would cool her heated body down.

* * *

The familiar shade of purple caught his eye and he made his way down the drink aisle to meet the person.

"Anko? Is that you?" Neji tapped on the person's shoulder.

She turned around, surprised to find him here, in the middle of the night, "Neji? I thought only hobos and drunks come here at this time of the night?"

Neji raised a brow and smiled, "then which category do you fit into?"

"Mistreated house slaves," she joked and stuffed five tins of instant coffee into her shopping basket, "and what brings you here, un- homeless, sober person?"

He raised a bottle of milk in his hand and shook it in front of Anko's face, "Sasuke's not feeling well enough to get his everyday dose of milk, so I have to get it for him."

They walked towards the cashier to pay for their items in the quiet, almost empty store.

"He's sad about the break up?" Anko guessed as Neji placed his purchase on the table top, "isn't he the one that initiated it?"

"Yes, but… I think I still likes her, he just doesn't know it yet or he doesn't admit it," Neji said, paying for the milk, "you sure five tins would be enough for the both of you?"

She looked at the five measly tins of coffee and couldn't agree with Neji more. The two of them did drink coffee like it is oxygen. Two tins of coffee and easily disappear in one day. Despite knowing that over reliance on coffee is not good for her system, Anko still thrives on it because it is just so god damn good.

"Fuck, you're right," she turns around and heads back to the drink aisle, "see you."

* * *

_Ring!_

"Again?' Kakashi cried picking up the phone, "yes?"

"Hatake Kakashi," Tsuande's voice came through the phone, "I have a proposition."

"I have a feeling it has something to do with what I over heard earlier today," he said.

"Yes, I want you to help us find the book we're talking about. You can help by tracking down the Akatsuki and stopping them."

"Why do you want to stop them?" he asked.

"Because he have to find the book before they do."

"What if I told you that you and the Akatsuki aren't the only ones looking for the book?" Kakashi said, "what if I told you that there are others looking for the book?" he played around with the pen he previously chewed on and spun it around his fingers, "has that ever occurred to you?"

"What are you trying to say Hatake?" Tsuande questioned him impatiently, "who else is looking for the book?"

Kakashi smirked, seeing how interesting this conversation is turning out to be, "say, Tsuande, I've always been curious; do you believe in the saying 'early bird gets the worm'?"

"Yes, I believe in that saying," Tsuande immediately replied, anxious for Kakashi to get to his point, "I know that we're going to find the book before anyone does because I have one of the four codes to unlock the crytext to find out the location of the book, whereas, the Akatsuki doesn't. I would surely get to the book first."

"I see, I see," Kakashi nodded, spinning the pen on his middle finger, "you have one of the codes?"

"Yes," she said confidently, "You, Asuma and Kurenai will work on finding the other three. We can get them before the others and solve the crytext, maybe Anko can do it and then we'll get to the book."

"Very good plan, very good," Kakashi held the pen by the middle and aimed it for the dart board he had on the other side of the room, "except there's something wrong with it."

There was silence on Tsuande's part, she's must have faltered, "and… what is that?"

"Anko and I can't be in it," Kakashi said calmly, with one eye shut so that the pen is target for the single red dot on the dart board, "as you said, you believe in 'earlier bird gets the worm'; you're too late."

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?" Tsuande's patience obviously snapped unable to withstand Kakashi's slyness, "NOBODY FOUND THE BOOK YET!"

"As I was saying, you're too late," Kakashi continued, ignoring Tsuande's mad rant, "the Akatsuki came to me first."

His hand released the pen and it flew in an awfully straight line towards the dart board. The tip of the pen made it way through the plane board, digging its way in so that it would remain ledged between the board even when stationery.

"Bulls eye."

* * *

As Neji walked out of the store alone, one hand holding on to the milk and the other pushing his wallet into his pocket, his tarot card accidentally fell out. They drifted slowly to the ground and landed in a haphazard position, decorating the sidewalk with their colorful backs.

But one card caught Neji's eye- _The Shadow_- it is the only card to land on the side walk with its face up. Quickly, he gathered his cards and made his way home on foot since he decided to leave his car at home.

"Shadow as in literally shadows?" he thought looking around at the many shadows cast by the houses, the tree… anything that has form, "well, well, well, isn't tonight just scary?"

He continued to make his way home being more cautious of his surroundings, making sure no one is following him or near him at all. They he also paid careful attention to the shadows which laid unmoved on the walls, the grounds and everywhere else.

Neji shook when he heard quick footsteps like someone is running away from something, or is he thinking too much? Maybe that person's just running… at such a late hour. That person must be psychotic to do such a stupid thing especially is it's a girl. The more he should avoid this psychopath.

He spun around to find a lone figure jog a distance behind him with it's head down, probably from exhaustion. Upon closer inspection, this silhouette seems familiar; the two round orbs on either side of the head, the slim, fit body, it looks strangely like Tenten.

Maybe he should ignore her and walk on, at a faster pace perhaps, so that she won't catch up with him and save him that unnecessary need to say 'hello' and all those formalities. But since when is Tenten ever formal?

"Maybe I should say 'hi'," he thought with his back facing her, "then she'll think I'm annoying and have nothing better to do than to bother her at night and get," he looked down at the bottle of milk in his hand, "a bottle of milk. Damn you Sasuke."

He turned his head ever so slightly so that he can catch sight of her and not actually show her too much of his face, but something made him turn a hundred and eighty degrees to face her straight on.

"What the hell?" he stared at the ground around her, "how the hell does Tenten have two shadows?"

Connected to Tenten's feet would be a single, elongated shadow of her cast by the street lamps. Normal. Neji looked at his own feet to find a similar setting. But, he spun around to check out if he had any unnecessary shadows, no, none, there isn't another shadow behind him like Tenten had one behind her.

"Wait," he squinted and realized that the second set of shadow isn't connected to Tenten's feet, "is someone following her?"

"Neji?" she stopped a few feet away from him when she notice how he just stood there and watch her run towards him, "hi."

"What are you doing so late at night?" he asked anxiously as he walks up to her, eyes still on the extra shadow, "do you know how many people go missing at night these days?"

Tenten shrugged and shook her hand, "what are the chances of that happening to me? Come on, it's probably happen to you, in the dark, people who don't know you might mistaken you for a beautiful girl," she said taking a bunch of his hair an twisting it around her finger, "with your long luscious hair."

"Come on," he took her hand and pulled her down the street, "I'll take you home."

There wasn't a need for him to take her home, if it were one of his fan girls, he would probably say 'watch out, someone's following you' and leave her there. Then if his he finds out something happened to her, the next day, he would nod thoughtfully and think to himself 'well, I warned her'. But in this case he made it his responsibility.

"Why?" she asked innocently, following closely behind him.

Because he would miss a partner? What a stupid excuse.

Why can't he decide whether he likes her or not? Fuck, this 'I think I like her, yet I think I don't' is getting on his nerves.

"Didn't I say it is dangerous?" he muttered, "stop arguing and be thankful."

Tenten pouted angrily, "fine, I guess it isn't dangerous for you then Mister 'I like drinking milk'," she eyed the milk bottle in his hand and gave him a smirk, "how cute."

That really ticked him off.

"This is for Sasuke," he said with restrained angry seething through his teeth.

"Oh sure it is," she muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "Neji is too manly for milk."

Neji stopped dead on his tracks and turned to face her, "this is for Sasuke," he raised the bottle in front of her face, "because, yes, I am too manly for this shit. I drink Red Bull, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I live on Red Bull like it is water. Get it? Milk is for the Sasuke all does damn bitch like."

That cracked Tenten up, "is that jealousy I sense? Aren't you satisfied with you fan base?" she said in between laughs, "or is it that you have finally bought a sense of humor with all that money you have? Which?"

While Tenten was laughing, Neji looked behind her and saw the shadow that was following is now slightly further from them, but nevertheless, still stalking her.

"Hey," he said interrupting her laughing fit, "done following us?"

That made Tenten stop laughing. She turned around in response and followed Neji's gaze to the shrubs that line the side walk.

"What?" Tenten asked looking at Neji's intense expression.

There wasn't any movement for a moment. Neji kept is eyes on the shadow and the shrubs and Tenten stood close to him, looking around with a stance that is ready for fight lest one pops up.

"I know you're there," Neji continued after a moment of silence, "stop your sick business of preying on young girls and get the fuck out of Konoha."

There was clapping, then two men stood up from behind a shrub, one of which had the shadow moving with him. So the shadow belongs to him. The other one, the clapping one, had a grin plaster on his face and a sack in his hands.

"Oh, you were planning to tie her up in that sack and carry her off?" Neji muttered with a mocking tone, "how cliché."

"I'm impressed young boy," the clapping one said, stepping out of the bushes, "how did you find out?"

Neji scowled, "I thrive on other's carelessness."

"My bad," the one who cast the shadow apologized with a grim tone present in his voice, "but young boy, you're wrong about one thing; we prey on young boys too. Young boys like you."

Neji shook his head, "you know, there something good about being young."

The man raised a brow, surprised by his comment, "really and what's that?"

In return, Neji grinned pulling Tenten behind him, "we run faster and longer compared to hags like you."

Quickly, Neji tightened his grip on Tenten's hand, spun around and pulled her along as he ran away from the two men that were just starting to catch on to what he said and giving chase.

Tenten, after all that running, had a weakened stamina, she tried to run as fast as Neji and not slow him down, but her muscles just won't allow her to. They feel like their stretching and pulling like never before, but at the same time, they also feel like their too numb to move. This feeling makes her want to down dead on her bed and curl up like a ball.

"Tenten," Neji managed to call as he ran, "keep running."

"I am," she argued back, totally breathless, "but I can't go on any longer."

He turned back to see how far they were from the men. Good thing they had a head start and as Lee would say 'Youthfulness!'. Looking ahead, Neji decided that they wouldn't be able to escape these men if they continued on with Tenten at this state, so he planned to turn into a corner and quickly turn into another and hide in the neighborhood park there.

"Just a little more Tenten," he told her as nicely as he could to give her that last ounce of motivation, "you can do it."

Fine. Although her muscles feel like they have torn apart and now, her skin is the one strain, she'll carry on. Her stamina really had decreased over the time and now she has to pay the price for being too preoccupied- but still, it isn't her fault. Okay, maybe better time management would do it, like lesser DotA, WOW and especially COD etc, yes there is an 'etc'. She tried to get herself to think of something nice, so that her mind isn't focusing on running and suffering the agony, it's some psychological shit she learnt during one Life Skills period in Junior High, channel your thoughts to another place and you won't feel what you're feeling now. Or something like that.

The instructor then gave the example of feeling hot and cold. If you're feeling hot, think of a cold glass of margarita sitting on a glass table while you're rested in your air conditioned house in a winter day without clothes on. That would somehow get you to forget about the heat you're experiencing.

Back then, she didn't believe a thing that hag said about the power of your imagination, now, she really hope this works.

Tenten close her eyes, trusting that Neji would guide her well, she tried to think of the most relaxing thing in the world.

_There is a crystalline azure blue sky above her with cotton candy white clouds drifting in the gentle breeze that ran through her loose hair. Then there's that smell of fresh salt water diffusing into her smell bubs, rejuvenating her senses and reenergizing her body. _

Neji turned back and realized that Tenten's eyes were closed.

"Shit!" he thought, "is she dead?"

He made his way about the first corner and caught a glimpse of the two men catching on to them. Neji was careful of make a big turn of else Tenten might end up have her head smashing into the wall.

_Then she felt the tiny grains of soft sand under her feet, seeping into the little spaces between her toes. It felt like a gentle massage from nature. Tenten allowed herself to fall backwards into the sand and feel more of that relaxing feeling all over her body. _

Yes this is starting to work, she can feel it.

_Suddenly, she felt a tight grip on her hand and she turns her head to face the person. It is Neji and she smiled at her. 'How charming' she thought to herself and grinned back. Somehow, that smile he gave her invokes some sort of feeling in her. It's like she's floating in the air and everything around feels soft, there is also this light hearted feeling in her chest, it's like her heart is going to turn into a cloud and let her float higher and higher. _

"_Tenten," Neji called her name ever so softly. _

_Too immersed in ecstasy, Tenten found it impossible to response to his call and continued to float up into the sky. _

"_Tenten," Neji said once more with a sterner voice, "TENTEN!" _

"TENTEN!" Neji hissed as loudly as he could without bring too much attention to their hiding spot, "you there?"

Her eyes snapped open, "it worked, Neji," she realized she is sitting down in a dark corner, but that didn't mind her, "the stupid, bogus psychology shit actually worked!"

Neji brought his index finger to his mouth, signally for her to keep quiet. She quickly covered her mouth with her hands and nodded. She watched as Neji slowly crept out from where they were to check for the two men. He returned after a while with a soft smile on her face, quite similar to the one she imagined.

"I don't think they'll be able to find us here," he murmured as he sat next to her, "now let's see your legs."

That reminded her of the severe pain she felt before the imagination- ing kicked in. This caused a sharp pain to rise up her calve muscles and stop her movement. No, she isn't paralyzed, she's just afraid that any slight motion would stretch the muscles and start a series of aches and pains through her leg.

"Your calves are swollen," he concluded after feeling the tightness of her calve muscles, "you should rest for a while, the pain won't go away any time soon."

"Then would I be able to walk?" she asked hopeful for a 'yes'.

Neji nodded, "but that would make the pain more unbearable and aggravate the condition," he looks at her leg muscles once more, "how long have you been running?"

"I started a little past evening and was about to stop until you started pulling me, telling me to run," Tenten checked her wrist watch, "whoa, that's like an hour!"

Clearly, Neji was impressed; his mouth felt a little and his eyes widened. That expression from Neji made Tenten a tad proud of herself because she finally impressed the 'I'm too good for anyone' teenager.

"That's quite dumb," he said while toying with the milk bottle in his hand, "it's really late now," Neji stood up and held out a hand for her, "let's go home, little girl."

She scoffed at the nickname as she took his hand and pulled herself up. It was a little hard seeing how damn swollen her set of legs are. The process made her cringe like a cockroach being stepped on but she tried to hide it to show Neji how capable she is.

"Yes, I need Neji to know that I can be as great as him," she thought to herself.

"That's no going to work," Neji said, seeing how tough stand up was for her, "how are you going to walk home?"

"I can do it, Neji," she persisted and tried to walk on on her own leaving Neji watching from behind, "you said I could, remember?"

"Don't be so stubborn, Tenten," he held her arm to stop her from going any further, "come on."

He went in front of her and bent down a little, "you'll get home quicker like this."

With his back facing her, Neji is relieved that she wouldn't be able to see how madly this 'cool' guy, Neji, is blushing. It like someone sprayed red paint across his face.

"No," Tenten said immediately after getting what his stance meant, "no way I'm I going to let you piggy back me home."

Truth be told, Tenten would gladly accept that piggy back ride, but somehow, she had this compulsion to decline it so he wouldn't have some weird thoughts about her. Although that wasn't a concrete reason, there wouldn't be any reason for him to think badly of her because he offered to piggy back her, she felt the need to refuse the ride and walk home in agony.

How dramatic.

Or would it be because Tenten's shy?

"No way," she fought with herself mentally, "I'm never shy. What is _shy_ anyway? Hmmf! Shy. Don't be ridiculous Ten."

"Stop being so stubborn, Tenten," Neji muttered, trying not to sound embarrassed at all, "quick, get on. I'm loosing my patience here."

"Well it hurt right, Ten?" she thought, "so? Get on that muscular back! He offered you! Hyuga freaking Neji offer you to get on his back to piggy back you home! How are you able to resist this offer? No one can! I can't believe we're the same person."

"Tenten," he said her name so sternly it made her stand up straight like she's about to punished by some headmaster, "Get. On. Now."

She inched closer towards him and pulled her arms around his neck. Upon feeling this, Neji proceeded to grabbing her legs and pulling them along either side of his waist and hoisting her up so that she's securely on his back.

"All that running paid off," Neji smirked, "you're really light."

"Shut up and walk," she muttered, obviously embarrassed by her current disposition.

He chuckled and did as he was told but not before making a great leap which caused Tenten to yelp like a cat and giving a big slap on the shoulder.

They made they're way down the side walk, the one that Neji is certain that the two men wouldn't trace. How is he so sure? Maybe it's his cards that told him.

The further they traveled, the more the embarrassment wears off. It's like she kept all the embarrassment in her pocket and as they walk, it fell out of a hole leaving a trail of embarrassments behind.

Slowly, she laid her head on the back of his neck as the effort she made to keep it upright was taking a toll on her poor neck. She might have imagined this, she's unsure, but right when she rested her head on him, she swore Neji's jaws moved ever so slightly and his cheek stretched sideways as if he is… smiling. The thought of that being a possibility made her smile too. Is smiling contagious?

"Someone's making themselves comfortable back there huh?" Neji teased her, "what happened to 'no way I'm I going to let you piggy back me home'? Forgotten about that? Or was that just a show?"

"Shut up piggy!" Tenten scolded, "aren't you the one smiling!"

"Piggy?" he repeated, amused, "no I'm not."

Tenten brought both her hands up to his cheeks and pulled them upwards, forcing him to smile.

"Ah hah!" she exclaimed, "you're smiling!"

Neji tried to move his mouth around to release it from her hold, "well because you're making me!"

"Was that whining I heard?" Tenten giggled, "you're the little boy! Stop denying it, you smiled, _little boy_."

"What reason do I have to smile, oh mature Tenten?" he mocked her, his grin growing wider.

"Because you like carrying me around."

Neji's eyes grew so wide that his eyeballs could have fallen out if he went any wider. He wonders why he has such a reaction. Any reason would have sufficed for him other than the reason that she had been accurately correct.

"Did I say that out loud?" Tenten asked aghast.

Neji raised a brow, "you mean you weren't supposed to?"

"And you heard?" Tenten felt like sinking into quicksand and die at that moment, "I thought I said it really softly," she shut her eyes close and bit her lips in utter regret, "its not what you think, Neji. Don't think that I like the thought of you liking to carry me around. No, I wasn't saying that, so don't think that."

"Hah, funny you said that," Neji said, "because I wasn't thinking that until you said that. So now I'm thinking that."

"No!" Tenten used her palm and smacked his temples hoping that it would force all that thinking out of her head, "stop thinking it."

Neji stopped and shook Tenten around on her stop causing her to wobble back and forth on her back, "stop hitting me, little girl," Neji said, "you're home."

To her surprise, Neji wasn't that bad at covering long distances on foot with a heavy weight on his back. He did it rather quickly. Impressive.

She got down his back and made her way up to the front door, Neji follow a few steps behind her. Before entering, she turned around intending to thank Neji only to face his mystifying face.

"You do like the thought of me enjoying carrying you around, don't you?" he asked cheekily.

A tinge of pink formed on her face, "yes, because… why would I like the thought of someone hating to carry me around, huh? Is that sensible?"

Neji nodded thoughtfully, "yes, that's true," he turns to walk away, "good night then."

"Wait, Neji," Tenten said walking slowly up to him.

"Take my bike," she pointed to the mountain bike that is chained to their fence, "you'll get home quicker, that's to thank you for the piggy back."

"I'll return the bike tomorrow then."

"Wait, Neji!"

He spun around again, "yes?"

Now she doesn't know what to say. Why did she do that then? Was it a compulsion? Damn compulsions! She wanted to say 'oh nothing' and get him to leave, but that would be so stupid! Imagine what he would think of her.

"Yes?" he asked after watching her in her long silence.

"Take care," she muttered as she took him by his collar and kissed him on the lips.

It felt good to Tenten for like 5 seconds before she realized what she was doing and pushed herself away leaving a stupefied Neji standing there, stunned. She backed away to the closed front door, completely mortified by her lack of self control for compulsions and mentally slapped herself over and over.

"That… that was… payback!" she claimed, coming against the front door, "for that traumatic incident you did to me months ago at this exact spot and that stupid thing on the yacht! I remembered little boy!"

Neji recovered quickly from the shock and watched as she struggled to open her front door with her keys which mysterious wouldn't fit. He touched his lips thinking of how much she insulted him and how many times she expressed her hatred for him, this made him so confused.

"Why did you do that?" he asked her.

She made a horrified face and turned towards him, "BECAUSE IT WAS A COMPLUSION!"

"Complusion?" Neji repeated.

The front door opened with Temari standing in the door way.

"I was watching movies when I heard screaming," Temari said before she noticed Neji standing there, "oh ok. This is normal."

She didn't say anymore and left the door unlocked for Tenten to enter later. Tenten couldn't take Neji's gaze any longer she muttered a 'bye' and ran into the house, locking the door behind her as if it would wash out whatever happened just outside.

Neji was left there, confused as to whether that girls likes him of hates him. She does that confusion thing to him too many times, he isn't sure anymore. Can it be that she is as lost as him about her feelings?

"That can't be that cheesy," Neji thought as he walks towards the bike.

* * *

Sasuke laid in his bed with his eyes wide open. The veins running high in blood making his eyes glow red. No, his sharingan isn't activated.

"Neji," Sasuke muttered weakly, "where's my milk?"

* * *

A/N: 68 pages! Sorry for the wait. This chapter took me three weeks! Yes, I had a really hard time getting back the momentum for writing this fic, but nevertheless, chapter 22 is done! I hope it wasn't too bad… I know standards would dropped because I haven't been practicing… :( I rushed to complete this chapter today because I didn't want to wait until I return from my holiday to post this. So here it is!

Sorry if there were many errors! I was so excited to post this chapter I didn't proof read it before posting! (I never do. Hehe.)

Thank you for all the reviews, I really REALLY appreciate it.

REVIEW!


	23. Episode Twenty Three: Sound Asleep

A/N: It's been too long! Thank you for being so patient! Here's chapter 23 for you guys! I tried to make it as long and as interesting as possible. :D

I've finally reached a hundred reviews. After 22 LONG chapters, I finally did it and it is all thanks to you guys! Give yourself a tap on the back will you? I seriously never expected to get this many reviews for this fic! Thank you so much.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

PART ONE

_1 day to sports day, which means its tomorrow!_

Their jeep stopped in a parking lot minutes before the school bell went off. The girls hopped out of the vehicle that they're very proud of and headed towards the school doors with their bags in hand.

It's been a few weeks since the world found out about Temari's true identity, the initial crowd which would wait for her at the school gate decreased to nothing seeing how Temari would virtually never accept an interview or answer the smallest question. Very soon, life is back to normal for that girl, except for the fact that she's the Kazekage's lost daughter.

One would at least expect the Kazekage's daughter to receive high security and have body guards follow her around 24/7. Gaara, Kankuro and Temari had a talk about this once, although it didn't go as smoothly as expected and they spoke in a more political fashion compared to the way most siblings communicate- Kankuro exempted- Temari got her way- not to have any security.

"Yamanaka!" came a voice from behind them and the many students trying to make their way into the school before they're deemed as 'late'.

Ino spun around and searched the crowd for that familiar voice before setting her eyes on the pale faced man waving to her amidst the crowd.

"Orochimaru sensei!" Ino screamed having not seen him in a dreadfully long time, "where have you been? The modeling club is nothing without you!"

The man came closer to the group of girls, smiling creepily and French kissed his blond disciple.

"Oh Ino darling," he purred, "you'll have to get used to that! I have an important project I have to take hence my sudden and regretful leave. I'm sure the replacement teacher would be just fine. Tomorrow would be my last day here and I was wondering what you'd be participating in for tomorrow's event; the other girls in the club want to have a club photo taken before I go."

"A group photo? That would be awesome," she turned to her friends and beckoned them to carry on without her, "well, I'm not participating in anything tomorrow."

Orochimaru gave a quizzical expression upon hearing her answer, "what do you mean? You can not be involved in something?"

She nodded spontenously, "yes, if you have a reason. Like my friend, Sakura, she's not participating because she's a medic on stand by that day. Also, Hinata is asthmatic so she can't do activities that exert herself. And, yes, Temari, she's working as a student photographer that day, in charge of snapping shots of the Big Relay. Cool huh?"

In a distance, Sasuke and Sai came out of their cars and headed towards school. Ino noticed her boyfriend coming in her direction and ignored her sen sei for a moment to wave at her beloved beau. Seeing this, Orochimaru turns to face the two boys walking towards him and smirked.

"Ino dear," Orochimaru asked the girl, "is that your lucky guy?"

Ino beamed, "yes, he's Sai and the other guy next to him is Sasuke."

"You mean Uchiha Sasuke?" Orochimaru asked with his grin growing ever so widely, "I've heard of him, isn't he Uchiha Itachi's brother?"

That statement caught Ino's attention because from the very first day she noticed the similarities in the surnames, the eyes and the facial features, Sasuke has assured them that Itachi is not his brother nor his cousin. Thus, she cancelled out the possibility that they're related. Even if Sasuke is lying and they're really siblings, there must be word going around that it would be the case, however, there are no sayings, no gossips, no rumors.

"Wha-"

"What event is Sasuke participating in?" he interrupted her.

"The Big Relay."

"Ah, I see," Orochimaru nodded his head thoughtfully, "well I best be going, teachers can't be late too you know."

As Orochimaru walks away, he pulls out his cell phone to make a quick call to a certain someone who would aid him in executing his task.

"Kabuto?" he said when his phone call is answered, "it's the Big Relay, be at the Big Relay tomorrow, the fourth keeper would be there."

"Yes Orochimaru sama," Kabuto answered, "and there's this problem… Karin managed to escape."

Orochimaru managed to maintain his composure despite the shocking news and went quickly to a corner so that none of the students passing by would hear. He'd never expect Karin to be as witty and sly to slip out of his secret hideout with Kabuto or him noticing.

"How long has it been?" Orochimaru asked in a harsh tone.

"Yesterday evening."

"What?" he almost screamed but controlled himself before resuming, "and have you done anything about it?"

"I… well I went to her apartment to look for her, I'm very sure she was there because I made a phone call to her and she answered," Kabuto paused, "but when I went to her apartment, there wasn't anyone there and her phone lays broken on the floor. She was there."

"Kabuto, answer this: if you're a rat and you're searching for cheese, you find a hole with a tiny cube of cheese and lung for it. But alas, there's a mouse trap which caught you sharply by the tail. However, you managed to escape with little struggle. Tell me, would you return to that some hole to look for cheese?"

"I… no."

"Do you get the analogy?" Orochimaru asked, "Karin would not return to her apartment because we know she stays there. She would never return to her apartment, you get me? Don't you dare lie to me about someone answering the phone."

"Someone did answer but now that I think of it, that person's voice was less whiney compared to Karin's voice and a little lower I think I might have been someone else…"

"IDIOT! Are you telling me that you let someone know that we're after Karin?" Orochiamaru demanded, "never mind about that, you fucker. Thank god we have Danzo on our side. Now, you better not make a mistake and look for Karin now. I want her by today night."

* * *

"Oh yes, I almost forgot," Temari stopped in the middle of the hallway on their way to class, "Ten, I found you COD box set. It was under my pillow… Ten?" She spun around only to find Tenten had stopped just in front of the girl's bathroom.

"Not again…" Sakura groaned dragging her feet towards Tenten, "you've been like this the whole morning and you won't tell us why!"

Hinata and Temari are soon by Sakura's side nodding in agreement. They cornered her and tried to get her to spill the bean by staring at her with an 'intimidating' glare. However, Tenten did not falter.

"First of all, you did not want to come to school today morning and then you gave a stupid excuse that you had a bad case of _rabies_," Hinata paused to clear her throat, "you then tried to choke yourself with _milk_ during breakfast so that you would be admitted to the hospital and be exempted from school. After that, you tried to jump off the car, action movie style, so that you might roll to the side walk and run back home-"

"Fay- ul!" Temari laughed at the mentioning of that.

Tenten rolled her eyes and nodded thoughtfully, "yes, yes, yes. You got me; I don't want to go to school."

"WE KNEW THAT!" Sakura and Hinata said in unison, "WE JUST WANT TO KNOW WHY!"

"Oh come on!" Tenten sighed, "which kid wants to go to school?"

The three girls look towards Sakura's direction gave an agreeing look to each other before turning their focus back to Tenten who gulped under their pressurizing gaze.

"…with the exception of freaks… like Sakura?" Tenten added hopefully being able to convince them.

The other girls gave her skeptically looks with the exception of Sakura that cast a skeptical, _remorseful_ look.

Tenten wreaked her head for a reason as to why she didn't want to go to school, but nothing would convince these hardheaded girls. She utterly regrets her actions yesterday night, it was her fault she didn't think long term- by long term, it means 'tomorrow'.

"Well?" Sakura probed her, "what is it?"

"It's… APRIL FOOLS!" Tenten smiled like a fool and waved her hands in the air.

Hinata checked the date on her wristwatch and frowned, "it's not April fools today, you got the date wrong," she said with her eyebrows knitted, "better luck next time."

Temari and Sakura made a face of disbelief, as Hinata was gullible enough to believe that, is Ino stupidity really contagious? They shot Tenten a look and decided that it would be convenient for the four of them to just ignore it and carry on with their lives.

They told themselves that whatever it is, they'd eventually find out.

No rush.

Tenten, being satisfied with the way things turned out, could only pray for the best that Neji would've forgotten everything that happened last night by the time she enters class. If she were lucky, he wouldn't even be in class.

* * *

Tenten went into class talking as animatedly as possible to Temari who found her attitude today rather strange but played along and nodded to everything Tenten said. Her eyes were dead fixed on Temari even though the latter doesn't seem like she cared a lot about what she saying and looked straight ahead.

Her motive for all this? To avoid talking to Neji or even making eye contact with him. All these would only be possible if she's engaged in another activity and is unable to pay any attention to him. Systematic enough.

The plan could have worked if not for Temari's terribly observant eye and painfully blunt mouth.

"If you're doing this to avoid something," Temari said as she sat at her seat, "it's not working."

"I… I am not avoiding anything," Tenten huffed and carefully sat down on her seat without even taking a glance in Neji's direction, "I'm just really bored and need some conversation."

Temari frowned and beckoned towards Neji, "well that's why we are placed in twos."

She grabbed both of Temari's hands and squeezed them so tight, circulation must have stopped, "that's why we have best friends," she seethed angrily through her teeth.

A sighed traveled to her from Neji's lips and he turns to face her after realizing her stupid ploy. He gave her a questioning look that she refuses to see and choose to remain oblivious to it until Temari pointed it out.

"Oh. Hi. Neji. Good. Morning," Tenten muttered, looking any way but at Neji, "I. Didn't. See. You. There."

"If you're going to be like this the whole day then you shouldn't have done it," Neji said, "besides, you also had a reason for your… behavior, so why are you so worried about it now?"

Tenten eyed Temari who gave her a curious look that resulted in Tenten rolling her eyes and turning back to her desk before Temari could enquire. She doesn't want anyone finding out about her stupid behavior yesterday night.

"I would prefer it if we forget whatever happened last night and carry on with our lives as per normal," Tenten whispered to her partner while staring at her undone trig homework on her table top, "I would also request that we minimize the amount of conversation between us because it reminds me of what I did."

There was a tapping sound from Neji's side as he knocked the end of his pencil against her water bottle standing between them, "you're getting me to help you forget? What are you doing to help me then?"

She shot him a glare, "well you managed to forget our first kiss pretty easily, why don't you do the same thing here?"

"I didn't forget about it Tenten," he muttered softly, "why would I want to forget something I plucked up all my courage for? God."

That earned him a scoff from her as she leaned back against her chair and crossed her arms and legs, "because it's a horrible memory."

"Horrible?" he repeated, "er… if I'm not mistaken, you kissed _Hyuga Neji_. How can that be horrible?"

"You _are_ mistaken, it was Hyuga Neji that kissed me," she snapped, "there is a difference, conceited asshole."

"So nothing happened last night?" He raised a brow and smirked, "if I remembered correctly, _you_ kissed Hyuga Neji."

"Hah, really? How is it that I don't remember?" Tenten shot back, "perhaps _you_ didn't remember correctly. Can we stop talking about this?"

Neji smirked, "we can... not."

She rolled her eyes in response. How did the mood change so quickly? It started off with the I- am- going- to- avoid- him- at- all- costs mood but now it's the I- want- him to- shut- the- fuck- up mood. Perhaps the change was for the better. Now she doesn't need to bother about avoiding eye contact because she can always switch a glance into a glare.

But then again, it isn't his fault for all this awkwardness, rather, it was hers. She didn't even know why she did it. Could it be that she's desperate? Cue dramatic Jaws music. And why did she have to kiss a girly guy then? Huh? A perfect stranger would've been just fine; she doesn't know him and she might not see him again. Gosh, oh why Neji?

As if he could read her mind, he asked her, "is it true that it was a compulsion? Cause your compulsions are pretty weird."

Compulsion? She needed to ask herself the same thing. Pretty weird? What can he mean? Compulsions can be ANYTHING!

"If it was… say Sai that you met yesterday night," he asked again, "would you have kissed him?"

"I think I value my life more than anything," Tenten snapped, "and Ino's wrath is life threatening."

Neji nodded thoughtfully, "ok then, what if it was Naruto?"

"Are you out of your mind?" Tenten grabbed his arm so tightly Neji thought it might just come off from its socket, "I would be a complete idiot to kiss that faggot. Even if I had a compulsion, I would've overcame it."

There was a moment of silence from Neji as he bore on of his most 'intently thinking' face and further emphasizing on the intensity by his chin stroking. It scared her a bit, it made it seem like she had accidentally told him something about herself that she herself doesn't know about. Then there's that grin that formed shortly afterwards. What was that all about? What is he thinking about?

"So you're saying that you'll overcome compulsion to save you from death and idiocy?" Neji asked her with a cheeky smile on his face.

"… yes…" Tenten whisphered warily, "what about it?"

"So you're admitting that it could've been overcome?" Neji raised a brow and watched as her facial expression changed from uncertainty to mortification.

At that very moment, she wishes a tarot card would instantly appear in front of Neji and catch his attention making him forget about their current situation. That damn bastard asked her a question to make her reply to another question without her knowing.

"Tennie!" Naruto exclaimed walking to her desk and slamming his palm on it loudly, "wazzup?"

Tenten heaved a sigh of relief; the dumbest person on earth saved her. Thank god.

"Oh hi Naruto," she smiled so bright to thank him for saving her, "wazzup?"

From the corner of her eyes she saw Neji shake his head and turn to take a book from his bag to study. Good. So the topic is dropped- for the moment.

"I called Sakura yesterday and she told me something that I already know," Naruto said, his tone a little more serious, "about the whole 'crush on me' thing."

Tenten instantly thought of Hinata, "you knew about it? Then why didn't you do anything? You could've said something!"

"I-" Naruto looked around at everyone who stood in close proximity, "I think we should take this outside."

At a distance, Hinata was looking at them with a nonchalant expression. She nodded and decided that it would be best if Hinata doesn't hear his opinion of Hinata's little crush on him.

They went outside of the classroom where the halls were relatively empty and where nobody can hear them.

"Look Tennie," Naruto said, "I treat you as a best friend and I want to be frank with you."

It's true, among all her friends, surprisingly and yet, not so surprisingly, she's the one that's the closest to the fool of the class. They spend a lot of time together during soccer practice because… well they're from the same class. Lee… well he is very sociable and absolutely enthusiastic about everything and volunteers for just about anything. So a friendship really grew during soccer practice.

After hearing what Naruto said, Tenten frowned, knowing that what Naruto's going to say about the crush was not going to be good. But if she knows the truth, she would be able to guide Hinata away from him before she breaks her heart. Hinata can be so emotional sometimes and so foolish in love. That girl is so naïve to believe in the existence of 'love at first sight' to have fallen so deeply for this douchebag a.k.a her friend.

"I don't want to hurt your feelings or ruin our friendship," Naruto said, "and I… guess you'd feel left out since Temari's got Shikamaru, Ino's got Sai, I guess Sakura had Sasuke and Hinata has Neji, but-"

"Wait what?" Tenten asked astonished, until it dawned onto her that Naruto wasn't talking about Hinata but her, "I do not have a crush on you Naruto. I thought you were about to discuss Hinata's crush on you!"

Now it's Naruto's turn to look shocked. His mouth fell wide and his eyes widened like dinner plates.

"Hinata has a crush on me?" Naruto repeated what Tenten said, "but I thought she was with Neji?"

Instantly, Tenten covered her mouth with her hands and tried to mentally slap herself for blurting out Hinata's secret that is not really a secret. Hinata is going to kill her painfully and slowly.

"APRIL FOOLS!" Neji popped out of nowhere startling the two of them, "we got you Naruto!"

Naruto frantically looks around, "where's the camera?"

* * *

The first thing Sakura did when she entered the classroom was look towards Sasuke's desk. He isn't here yet, so she continues back to her desk and takes another glance in his desk's direction before taking out her book for first period.

Sakura initially intends to read a chapter of thermal physics before Kakashi comes into class but her plans were foiled by Naruto who've just returned to class with Neji and Tenten laughing like a mad cow. He came towards her after dropping by Neji's and Tenten's seat.

"Hello Sakura chan, good morning!" Naruto chirped, "today is a great day isn't it?"

"Er… yes it is Naruto," she tried to ignore him by returning to her book.

"I'm in a good mood today so I wanted to know if you want to check out this new café near the school," Naruto said, casually looking out of her window, "I wonder if the food tastes great there? Have you been there yet?"

Sakura thought about which café Naruto would be talking about and it she realized that she had been there before, with Sasuke.

"You mean the _French Couture Café_?" she asked.

He nodded eagerly.

"It isn't exactly that new Naruto," Sakura muttered her eyes on her book, "and yes, the food is great."

* * *

"Good morning beautiful," Sai said as he took Ino's hand and walked with her into the school, "you're hair looks especially nice today, what did you do to it?"

Ino giggled in response, "oh nothing much, I just switched to a new brand of shampoo."

"Well I think it looks the same, shabby old blond, how old," Sasuke commented rolling his eyes at how sappy his brother is trying to be.

Upon hearing that insult, Ino stuck out her tongue at Sasuke, "no one asked for your opinion!"

"Forgive my brother Ino," Sai soothed her anger, "he didn't get his daily dose of milk yesterday, that's why he's so grumpy."

That made Ino laugh heartily at the image of Sasuke waiting patiently for his milk that never came yesterday. She never thought of Sasuke as a milk kind of guy, he appealed to her as more of a Ginger Ale kind of guy. Maybe that's why his skin is as pale as milk and baby smooth. Or was that a myth about milk?

* * *

"Oh you've been there?" Naruto asked surprised, "I've always thought you'd return home with you buddies and… study."

"Why does everyone have to say that about me?" she muttered, glaring sideways at Naruto, "is that an implication that I am a nerd? Huh? It really pisses me off that people think that way when they don't even know what I do at home," her voice started to grow cool and calm.

Well, if anyone knew what Sakura did at home, they will still call her a nerd for studying too hard and too long. But at least she takes time off to eat, wash up, watch the news and breathe. No wait, she isn't a nerd! She goes out with the girls during weekends or would go to some art exhibition with… The point is, she might come off as a nerd during weekdays, but she is so not one on the weekends. She's more of a _part time_ nerd.

A worried look washed across Naruto's face as he fanned the dangerously fuming Sakura with his hands in attempts to cool her temper.

"Why can't everyone be more understanding like-" Sakura paused, "forget it."

Basically, he is her reason for having been to that café before. Quite a few days before their break up, during the quiet lull between Temari popularity and the announcement of sports day, Sasuke brought her to that café on a weekend when there was little to accomplish for homework.

* * *

_A few days ago…_

_The familiar black car pulled up in front of her. Quickly, before Ino unleashes her lethal squeal that never fails to get them complains from neighbors, Sakura pulls open the door and slides into the passenger seat. _

_She turns to face the driver next to her- Uchiha Sasuke- and grins at his get up. He never fails to look like a movie star that had just ended filming the last scene of his latest movie. It's a marvel how Sasuke manages to make a V neck white shirt and a pair of knee length grey pants look so stylish. _

"_You ready?" he asked slightly pulling down his black tinted Ray Benz sunglasses revealing his dark, intense ebony eyes._

"_Am I ever not?" Sakura replied, receiving a smile from Sasuke. _

_As he drove them to the café, she can't help but notice that his hair is usually messy today. She doesn't know if the messy look is in style but his tousled do tells her of his lack of effort, yet at the same time, as ironic as it might sound, his overall appearance looks like something Alexander Wang painstakingly designed. _

_How does he do that? _

_Sasuke should be the eighth world wonder. _

"_What are you looking at?" Sasuke enquired after feeling the pressure of her long, hard gaze, "something nice, I hope?"_

"_Hah, don't flatter yourself," Sakura laughed, immediately diverting her gaze. _

_Sasuke raised a brow, "oh whatever do you mean by that, Sakura? Was that just an implementation that you were looking at me?" _

"_You're gravely mistaken; I was admiring the nice interiors of your car. Rebut that."_

"_And how is that flattering to me?" _

_A scoff escaped Sakura's lips, "it's is _your_ car after all." _

"_Then shouldn't I be flattered?" Sasuke said, stopping the car in a lot and looking towards her with an expression that spells her doom, "I mean, you did say the interiors of my car is _nice_," he paused to watch a very unhappy expression grow in Sakura's face, "rebut _that_."_

_She really wanted to argue back with "that's why I said 'don't flatter yourself'." But she realized that it would only send their argument into a never ending loop. She needs to come up with a diversion, something that would veer them away from this. _

_That reminded Sakura of what Temari said she would do if she couldn't rebut any of Shikamaru's statements- kiss him. To hell with that! Haruno Sakura would never do that? To her, that completely shows her desperation and her weakness- everything she is not. Then what would be her alternative? _

"_Oh, I'm really, hungry," Sakura smiled rubbing her abdomen to emphasize on the hunger, "good timing."_

_Lame. But it sure works. _

_Sasuke grabbed her hand before she could leave the car, "changing the subject never works on me."_

_Ok, maybe it doesn't work. _

"_Ok, fine. You win, I was looking at you," Sakura rolled her eyes as she raised her hands in defeat, "now can we get something to eat?"_

_Instead of answering immediately, Sasuke leaned over towards her seat and pulled her into a kiss that sent her heart soaring into the clouds and possibly all the way to Venus. That startled Sakura a little, for when she counted the speed in which her heart raced, it far surpassed the speed in which light travels. _

"_Maybe time traveling is possible," she thought, "hey that was random."_

_Sasuke pulled away and smirked at her, "now we can get something to eat."_

* * *

She noticed the disheartened look on Naruto's face and sighed, getting annoyed by idiots would make her an idiot too. After all, Naruto didn't do anything wrong, he was just stating a semi- fact, a widely known misconception, that's all.

"April fools!" she tried to imitate Tenten's actions, "I gotcha!"

Naruto made a stunned expression and jaw dropped, "no way," he looks around frantically, "where is the camera?"

Sakura shrugged, "I'm not supposed to tell you."

* * *

Ino made a face when they were a few feet away from the classroom, "argh, Naruto's laughter, I can hear it from a mile away!"

"Then you should've heard it earlier," Sasuke commented coolly as he continued to make his way to the classroom, hands in the pocket with a nonchalant expression.

As he walks away from the couple, he could clearly hear Ino ranting on and on about how rude he is and how she admires Sakura's patient for having withstand him for so long. As a matter of fact, Sakura's the one making him rude, in an indirect way.

Basically, he is eager to find out Sakura's answer to his long unanswered question, resulting in him wanting to reach class as soon as possible before Kakashi enters. Thus, leading to him rudely shaking off anyone or anything in his path.

He has carefully thought out every move he is going to make when he enters the class; walk in without looking at Sakura, acknowledge Neji and while turning towards table, quickly make a hard- to- notice passing glance in Sakura's direction, if eye contact is made shift to phase 2 part A, but if no eye contact is made, shift to phase 2 part B.

Phase 2, Part A: When locked in an eye contact. Give Sakura a smile. A cool one. If she's already talking to someone, shift to phase 3 part A, if not, shift to phase 3 part B.

Phase 2, Part B: Since no eye contact is made, act natural and return to seat. She might not have noticed you and thus, Lee would initiate his daily 'GOOD MORNING YOUTHFUL SASUKE!' cheer to help him catch her attention. While trying to strangle him alive, perhaps make another hard- to- notice passing glance in Sakura's direction, if eye contact is made shift to phase 3 part C, but if no eye contact is made, shift to phase 3 part D.

And the plan goes on… ingenious right?

Cue game show 'wrong answer' tune.

He wasn't smart enough to make a plan B. Everyone knows Plan B is needed, it's the cliché movie necessity.

Once Sasuke enters the class and initiated phase 1 of plan A, he realized that he got stuck while doing his hard- to- notice passing glance in Sakura's direction. The glance turned into more of a very- noticeable passing _stare_ in Sakura's direction.

Plan B: Find out the answer yourself without even asking her.

"GOOD MORNING YOUTHFUL SASUKE!" Lee exclaimed as usual.

If plan A did work, Lee's entrance would be greatly appreciated. However, plan A backfired.

Sasuke quickly snapped out of the stare before Lee's screaming caught anyone's attention, but since it's the norm for Lee to be shouting in the wee hours of the morning, nobody seems to give a damn.

Never in his life had Sasuke sat on his chair and wished it would incinerate him, somehow. Then nothing would be left of him other than a molehill of ashes.

"So," Sasuke thought to himself as he stares at his empty desk to look occupied, "Naruto asked her before she even got around to answer my question… and obviously, she killed two birds with one stone by answering both, Naruto and my, questions at once."

"_Hey Sakura, since Sasuke's no longer you're boyfriend… perhaps you might accept me as one! I'll be nice, you won't gain haters too! Believe it!"_

"_Sure Naruto! I'd be honored to be your girlfriend!" _

"Was that how it happened?" Sasuke asked himself, perplexed, "and why did I think that to be impossible?"

He felt a nudge on his shoulder and turned to realize it had been Lee with his gleeful face which never fails to send a churning feeling into Sasuke's stomach.

"What?" Sasuke snapped, rubbing his temples as an excuse for his long silence, the classic I- am- quiet- because- I- have- a- bad- headache always works.

Lee showed his concerned face which is nothing different from his normal face; perfectly round eyes, weird lashes, a ruler straight mouth and, who could forget, the blindingly shiny, bowl hair.

"Having a headache, Sasuke?" Lee asked with excessive concern in his voice, "is it from Naruto's loud, inconsiderate laughter?"

Somehow, now, the word 'Naruto' would trigger the shifting of some plates, sending his inner volcano rumbling and overflowing with hot molten lava. The word 'Naruto' makes him swear to never fall in love ever again.

Ok, that was too dramatic for _Sasuke_.

"Yes," Sasuke muttered, "tell him to shut the fuck up."

"NARUTO! SHUT THE F-" Lee paused and turned to Sasuke, "you almost made me say fuck!" he covered his mouth, "I said fuck!" Lee gasped, "I said fuck again!" there was a long pause before Lee started wailing and saying something about needing to cleanse himself while running out of class.

That whole scene just made Sasuke's day worse as it sent Naruto into another roaring fit of laughter. Some where along today, Naruto's laughter became tormenting to Sasuke's ears. If anyone is planning to torture Sasuke, tapping him to a chair and switching on a tape record with Naruto's laughter, _looped_, might probably kill him.

To avoid getting killed, because as emo as Sasuke would seem, he adores his dear life, Sasuke walked out of the classroom with the excuse of 'searching for Lee'.

* * *

The sweat is making her fringe cling to her forehead and the musky sewer liquid is most likely corroding her skin with its filth and staining her white tank top. When Orochimaru took her from her home, he didn't give her time to put on shoes, so now, after she managed to escape from Orochimaru's secret hideout, she is left to roam the sewers barefooted.

Walking around barefooted isn't an easy thing, Karin has learnt, it exposes her feet to bacteria and germs, not to mention threats like pins and needles on the ground.

"Urgh," she cried as she stumbled due to the aching pain in her feet.

She wouldn't have resorted to hiding in the sewers if Kabuto hadn't discovered that she escaped much earlier than she thought he would. The sewer was her only option as Kabuto was hot on her heels and just in front of her was an open sewer workers were working on.

Maybe god was trying to help her by providing her an escape route- an open sewer with the barricades and the worker apparently having a break. It was there for her to jump in and when she did, the workers returned leaving Kabuto to cancel off the possibility that she entered the sewers. Yes, the whole thing did seem a little too scripted.

Now the heroine has to find a way save herself and run away to New Zealand where the doctors there would reverse the effects of the shit Orochimaru injected into her and where she would start a new life to escape her past.

How melodramatic.

"I shouldn't have met Suigetsu," Karin thought, as she stopped in the middle of the sewer to catch her breath, "that day at the train station, I shouldn't have met him."

There and then, Karin did something that she has been meaning to do for a long time but didn't have the time or guts to do it- cry, because her life is more than a mess.

* * *

He walks agitatedly along the long, bleak corridor fidgeting with his fingers and trying to think of places where he hasn't looked. The biggest problem for him is looking for Karin and he has no clue, no lead, what so ever on where she might be. But then he thought of Suigetsu and how close those two were and decided that he would know a thing or two about where Karin might be. Then there is another problem; has Suigetsu regained consciousness?

"Suigetsu?" Kabuto called as he opens the doors to the room, "are you awake?"

There, in the middle of the room, stood a water chamber. It's top connected to the ceiling where the clean water enters and the bottom linked to the public drainage system where all the used water exits. Suigetsu's body laid limp amidst the water, still as ever, it's as if he's already dead.

A sigh escaped Kabuto's lips when he realized his only hope is diminished. He then noticed a thread of red in the water, wafting around carelessly. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the 'thread of red' is, in fact, Suigetsu's blood.

"What in the name of…" Kabuto sighed and walks towards a control panel next to the water chamber, "why did Orochimaru have to hit him so fucking hard? Now he's bleeding and I have to clear the fucking mess."

He press the 'DRAIN' button and watch the metal blinds at the bottom of the chamber open allowing the water to rush in between the gaps into the sewage system. Just then, something dawned on him, his eyes quickly diverted to Suigetsu whose feet had liquefied.

"FUCK!" Kabuto yelled after realizing the mistake he had made.

Suigetsu, fully awake, smirked at his careless friend and slowly disappeared in the water that flowed out of the vent into the sewers.

When Kabuto managed to shut off the blinds, he realized that he is too late, Suigetsu had escaped and is probably drifting somewhere in the sewers now. His fist curled into a ball and he punched the cold, hard control panel damaging a few buttons in the process.

"He'll return," Kabuto told himself, "he'll have to come back because we have the only thing that can save him."

"_Now, you better not make a mistake and look for Karin now. I want her by today night."_

"Damn it!" Kabuto cursed, "I still won't be able to find her… wait a minute, Suigetsu would go looking for Karin… and I know where Suigetsu is. If he manages to find Karin, I would be able to get both of them at one go. Yes. But what will I doing when I find them? They would definitely out power me. What should I do?"

Something in the room caught his eye- Benzodiazepine injections. With a single jab, it would send the victim into deep slumber effortlessly. That would do the trick. Even though Karin has the ability to sense his presence, he knew Karin still hasn't mastered this technique. He'll try his luck this time, so Benzodiazepine will have to do.

* * *

He found himself wondering the hallways expecting something to happen before his eyes that might change his circumstances, but nothing will. The students are all ready in the classes waiting for their teachers that have mostly just arrived in school, preparing for lessons in the teacher's lounge. This is one of those times where the hallways are at its quietest; just the tapping of his footsteps and the janitor's sweeping of the floor.

Sometimes, when he walks by a classroom, certain students would notice him and stare at him as he walks by. Nothing out of the ordinary, having people stare at him is part of his everyday life. He just ignores every single one of them.

Other times, a teacher would just walk by and catch sight of him but not care, as they're close to being late for class. Ignorance is bliss.

Sasuke made his way, aimlessly, to the school backyard, maybe his feet wanted some fresh air or maybe they weren't yet a mile away from Naruto to not hear his laughter. Either way, when he looks up after a while, he noticed that he wasn't in the school building anymore.

One part of him knew that he would receive a huge scolding from the principal for loitering around the school compounds minutes before the start of a lesson, another part of him didn't care.

Although it's simply unlike him to lose control of his actions like that, it felt good in a sense. It's like his way of going to a cliff and screaming his heart out when life's a bitch.

Is it possible for your mind to just leave your body in autopilot and wander about in the clouds and later return to find that everything was just as how it was left?

Sasuke shrugged, "now's the time to find out."

"Sasuke?"

He turned around to find none other than Nara Shikamaru standing a few feet behind him. But something's different about him, perhaps the cigarette in his hand?

"It's no surprise finding you here," Sasuke said as he walks over to join his long lost friend.

Shikamaru smiled, "but it's rather shocking to find clean record man Uchiha Sasuke here. Is something wrong? Have you came cross an epiphany?" he paused and looks at the rectangular box in his hand, "want one?"

Sasuke gaze at the box hesitantly and finally took a stick, "can you read minds? Something like that, I guess."

"Here," Shikamaru passed him the lighter, "no, just a wild guess. Here's another wild guess: It has something to do with Sakura."

Sasuke calmly light up the cigarette and inhaled like how he think he should but he ended up clutching his abdomen and coughing his lungs out.

"Was that out of shock due to my sheer accuracy or was that due to the horrid taste of smoke?" Shikamaru asked jokingly, "perhaps both?"

The sickly boy nodded at the last option, "are you keeping tabs on me?"

"No, I have my sources."

"Temari."

"Oh you read minds too?" Shikamaru asked with false amusement.

"Sometimes, do you ask yourself why do you like her?" Sasuke enquired, completely ignoring Shikamaru's question, "why?"

Shikamaru raised a brow, "I don't get what you mean by that? Who said we need a reason to like another?"

The wasted cigarette on his hand is carelessly tossed onto the ground and hid itself amongst the long, uncut grass with other used cigarettes. Sasuke leaned against the wall of the school building next to Shikamaru and crossed his arm, thinking deeply about what wise man Shikamaru had just said.

"No one," Sasuke answered quietly.

This time, Sasuke is sure he had been wrong about two things:

One, he is interested in Sakura.

Two, he doesn't love her.

When in actual fact, Sasuke came to realize that

one, he _was_ interested in Sakura and

two, he _does_ love her.

And the only girl he ever wanted was the only girl he lost to a dimwit.

"Shikamaru," Sasuke spoke after a long silence, "if me and Naruto were to be in a movie, who would be the protagonist and who the antagonist?"

"Well that's obvious," Shikamaru answered too quickly for Sasuke's liking, "judging from Naruto's 'all for justice' character-" he paused, "and _naivety_, Naruto would be the good guy and you're the bad guy. Troublesome as it is, why'd you ask?"

"You know, the good guy always gets the girl," Sasuke said showing no signs of disappointment in his expression or tone.

That produced a laugh from Shikamaru, "firstly, that doesn't always happen. An example would be Star Wars; there's a part where Anikin turns into Darth Vader and he gets the girl even though he's a villain. Or Hannibal. In the book, Hannibal Lecter ends up with Clarice Starling even though he is quite the sadist. Secondly, that happens in movies and books, this, however, is real life; you can't expect the same thing to happen."

"Somehow, I have a strange feeling that if I had asked Temari the same question, I would get that exact reply," Sasuke laughed.

Shikamaru flicked the cigarette onto the ground and flattened it with his foot, he then turns to leave, "_that_ only happens in movies too."

* * *

He reformed himself after escaping from Kabuto, but Suigetsu knew very well that it wasn't the end yet. Juugo promised him earlier that he would get Karin out of the secret base. By now he would have probably done that and right now, Karin might be wandering the streets alone with nowhere to return to. She would also be trying to hide from Kabuto and Orochimaru, so he must get to her before they do.

Quickly, he ran down the sewer so that he can get out of it as soon as possible; Kabuto would definitely look for him here.

Just then, his nose picked up an awfully familiar scent. Obviously it is blood seeing that he's a shark hybrid, but exactly whose blood is it?

Wait a sec.

There's something really strange about this.

Is this who he thinks it is?

Could it be that much of a coincidence?

"KARIN?"

* * *

No one realized when the teacher entered the classroom; they were all engaged in their own business to notice the new presence. Plus, they cancelled out the possibility that it might be Kakashi because Kakashi is never on time.

But this isn't Kakashi.

"Class! May I have your attention?"

"Shizune sen sei? Again? This is Kakashi sen sei's period!" Naruto yelled from his place that is right in front of the teacher.

Shizune covered her ears to prevent herself from going deaf, "no yelling Naruto. Now, I'm you're new form teacher. Kakashi sen sei has resigned."

"RESIGNED?" the whole class said in unison.

"Why?" Kiba asked, "why would be betray us like that?"

"Betray?" Shizune repeated rather shocked.

"Now we have to put up with a boring teacher!" Naruto whined unaware of his insulting comment, "get Kakahsi sen sei back!"

Shizune shook her head and flipped open the class attendance, "I'm afraid I can't, it was his decision to go and I am not one to question his decisions. Now, I'm going to take the attendance. Who's not at their desk right now?"

"Mitarashi Anko!"

"Yes she can help us get Kakashi sen sei back!" Ino suggested enthusiastically seeing a glimmer of hope in this predicament, "he simply adores her."

"But he wouldn't have left if Anko wouldn't leave with him," Neji said, "so Anko must have left too."

Shizune nodded, "Mitarashi Anko did leave, her name is no longer in the class register too. So sad, after, I think, five? Four years? of staying in this school, she finally realized it is time for her to leave… now who else is missing?"

"YOUTHFUL UCHIHA SASUKE!" Lee exclaimed.

"Since when did you return, Lee?" Kiba asked bewildered, "didn't Sasuke go to look for you?"

Lee shook his head.

"Can the class representative go look for him?" Shizune asked, "he has to be some where in this school. Class representative?"

Kakashi had never made use of the class representative before; they only elected one because it is mandatory of every class in every level to have a class representative to aid the teacher. But neither Kakashi nor the other teachers needed the aid, they were either too self-reliant or can't be bothered.

"Class representative?" Shizune repeated looking about the class for someone to stand up.

So when Shizune calls for the class representative, it never occurred to Sakura that she's the one being called.

"Sakura, it's you!" Ino hissed.

Sakura head jolted up from its position and she stood up seconds later, "yes Shizune sen sei?"

"Please look for Uchiha Sasuke and get back to class as soon as possible."

* * *

"KARIN!"

She looked up and turned round to find the source of the sound. Karin shook her head, telling herself it was her imagination before hearing another call for her.

"KARIN!"

That voice almost made her weak in her knees. It almost sent another five hundred buckets pouring water out of her eyes. That sound made her relieved yet afraid, made her want to walk towards it yet want to run away.

"KARIN!"

She could hear it; the voice is getting closer. Suigetsu can smell her blood and is tracking her down. Karin fought with herself whether to stay there and let him find her or try to run as far away as she can from him as possible.

It was a hard decision but her feelings for him cannot overtake the importance of her livelihood. She would not go all dramatic and say 'because Suigetsu is my life!' or any other shit that implies the same thing. It has been decided; go to New Zealand and start a new life.

As asinine as it might sound, it sure seems like the most normal thing that can happen to her after everything that had.

"KARIN!"

So she did what she decided to do. It would be better for her and, no, she wasn't going to say it would be beneficial to Suigetsu too. She isn't him and she doesn't know what would be good or bad for him, she doesn't want to care about it right now, she doesn't want to care about him anymore.

After all, he was the one who brought upon such great misery to her life. If she hadn't met him that day at the train station, this wouldn't have happened. She wouldn't be running away from him in the sewer, she wouldn't be thinking of ways to get back her normal life, she wouldn't be enduring all the pain she is going through and she most certainly wouldn't not be crying because she wants to be in the arms of the very man she's running away from.

"KARIN!"

She stopped.

It has come to her attention that the sewer is so enclosed that it made Suigetsu's voice propagate like an echo. The walls are so close together that it makes reverberation impossible.

"KARIN!"

There's only two ways to go and she doesn't know whether she's running from him or to him. She most certainly wasn't going for the latter but now that seems impossible to tell either apart.

If only she could activate her stupid sensing abilities.

But nooooo, she can't do that because she's running away from the very man who can activate it.

The sudden influx of voices and thoughts in her head applied some kind of pressure in her heart of work fast. Her heart is trying to beat as fast as it can to keep up with the demand but as it reaches it's goal, the goal seems to go further and further away. It's hurting her so much and she wishes that it would all stop to allow her to think.

What happened next scared her but she was too overwhelmed by everything to even react. Also, that told her that Suigetsu found her.

"Karin," Suigetsu said as he pulls her into his arms and hugs her like there is no tomorrow, "I'm so sorry."

After standing in the coldness for so long, feeling Suigetsu's warm embrace wasn't such a bad idea. It was like a hot cup of cocoa in bed during a cold winter day. That feeling almost makes her want to stay there forever and never leave him, despite the fact that it is a sewer. Not only because it is comfortable, but also because it is Suigetsu.

For once in her life, Karin admits to herself that she's head over heels in love with Hozuki Suigetsu and there's no mistaking it. She wants to be with him forever and if he ever leaves her, like how he did, it would break her heart into a million unrecoverable pieces.

That is why she is going to break his heart before he can do anything with hers.

Spending too much time in the sewer, running and bleeding, has made her weak. Karin gathered all the strength she can muster to push him away from her, breaking that soft, comfortable embrace.

Suigetsu wasn't surprised. After how he got her into all this mess, after how he made her suffer so much under Orochimaru, she has all the right to hate him.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME SUIGETSU!" Karin screamed, moving backwards and far away from him as possible, "I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU ANYMORE. I DON'T WANT YOU TO COME BACK INTO MY LIFE. JUST GO AWAY!"

The place was smelly and hot, beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, he was in no mood to joke around and be his usual fun self anymore. This is serious. She is serious.

"I'm sorry Karin," Suigetsu said, taking small steps towards her, "I swear, I never meant to hurt you…" he paused and turned away, as if hesitating what he was about to say, "I… I would never."

That triggered something in her. She would've melted if not given the circumstances. Those were the sweetest words she had heard in a long time. But she still isn't ready to give in.

"SHUT UP!" Karin yelled, "HOW CAN YOU BE SUIGETSU? THE SUIGETSU I KNOW WOULD INSULT, HE WOULD CALL ME NAMES, HE… GO ON! SAY BAD THINGS ABOUT ME! TELL ME I'M AN IDIOT FOR FOLLOWING YOU! TELL ME I'M STUPID! COME ON! INSULT ME!"

"FUCK! I'm sorry Karin!" Suigetsu said, "I don't want to hurt you anymore!"

He stopped walking towards her and somehow, that had an effect on her as she stopped moving too. It could be that she knew something big is about to come and it is too big for her to move any further.

"FUCK THIS," Suigetsu ran all his fingers through his hair, all these thoughts, these decision, these emotions were seriously giving his brain a hard time, "DAMN IT. I LOVE YOU OK. DON'T FUCKING MAKE THIS HARD FOR ME. PLEASE, DAMN IT, PLEASE JUST COME TO ME."

"You what?" Her voice was almost croaky.

"I…" he panted, exasperated, "I love you damn it."

She gasped so quietly that he couldn't hear a thing. As much as she wanted to believe him, she knew that he is just playing around with her like how he did the first time, like how he just kissed her and left her. She would never fall for the same trick twice.

"FUCK YOU. Don't you make fun of me Suigetsu," she started to step away from him again, "I believed you the first time but not this time."

"Karin," Suigetsu sighed, grumbling under his breath, "I meant it the first time round. I… already loved you then. It took some time to realize it and Juugo sort of helped me," he stopped for a moment, "then I found out that you have a boyfriend."

"I was lying to Shay."

"And Shay. You like him," Suigetsu muttered, motification just overwhelmed him, "and- FUCK- you flirted with him in front of me, after fucking I kissed you! Do you know how much it took to kiss you? Do you know how crushed I felt?"

Karin knew that Suigetsu was capable of lying, but he simply can't lie about these things. He doesn't have the heart to do that kind of dirty work, he knew him like that.

"Was that the truth?" Karin asked quietly.

Oh, what a stupid question.

"Yes," he answered without much hesitation.

"Then… then have you ever considered how I felt? How misleading you were?" Karin asked trying to return to her heartless self, "you insult me, torment me, made me feel like you hate me and then you kiss me, leave me…" Karin stopped to catch her breath, "and I can't believe after all that I still love you."

Immediately after processing what she had said and reading the obvious change of expression from Suigetsu, she quickly covered her mouth with both hands. She wasn't supposed to let him know that she loves him back, which would make the already complicated relationship even more complex.

"No, I didn't mean what I said," Karin tried to save herself but her attempt was futile.

In the end, she resorted to turning and running away as fast as her feet could to prevent herself from sinking into the hole of problems. Never again does she want to chance upon such a hole. So she decided that the only solution is to run.

Soon, she collided into something soft. She backed away quickly and looked at the strange thing; it was Suigetsu with his sweetest, most adorable confused expression.

He held on to both her hands to prevent her from running further, "what did you just say?"

As much as she hoped he hadn't heard it, he had and there's nothing else she could do about it then convince him he heard wrongly.

"It was nothing," Karin struggled to free herself, "let me go."

She swung her hand hard and smacked him from the side causing him to liquefy and blend in with the filthy liquid.

Some part of her knew it is useless running away from Suigetsu in his comfort zone, the other never stopped trying.

"Karin," he appeared in front of her again, this time, he held her shoulders, "you said something, _I heard it_, I just want to hear it again."

She frowned, aghast by what he said, "YOU FUCKING SADIST! You heard it wrongly," Karin muttered as stone cold as she could, "get away from me."

His grip on her shoulders tightened and a serious expression painted his face, "Karin, 70 percent of the earth is covered in water. You can try to run but I will scour that 70 percent of water if it means finding you because you're not safe, here or anywhere, but only when you're with me."

At that point, Karin wanted to melt into a puddle, but she couldn't, she has to stay strong. Her livelihood was at stake here.

"If you really love me that much Suigetsu," Karin muttered, "you would let me go, because I'm tired of this."

His face changed. His brows loosened their knit and his scowl eased on its frown. His once tense facial muscles became slag at her statement. She's right. If he really did love her, he would listen to her and let her go.

Karin, seeing how his grip on her loosened, stepped away from him and without looking at his face, because she can't bear to, she made her way briskly away from him.

"Karin," Suigetsu called, stopping her, "if you love me, you wouldn't leave me."

It took Suigetsu so much more to say what he had just said, she is aware of that. It is normally hard for a man to blatantly speak about his feelings for a girl in front of the girl, let alone use the term 'love'. Sometimes, she doesn't even dare to use it. But Suigetsu, he said it so many times today. It seems like a miracle, like a Guinness World Record. To say it and mean it, it's hard for her; it must be harder for him.

"I don't want to play these word games with you. Don't say that."

"I have to Karin, I'm desperate here."

She took another step forward and a long sharp metal pole slice through her feet. Karin tried to suppress a scream by biting her lips, she doesn't want Suigetsu to appear in front of her and show his care and concern. No, she doesn't need another reason to rethink her next move.

Instead of screaming, she hissed quietly, but to anyone, it is pretty obvious she is in pain. Can't she do anything right?

"Karin," he said, immediately next to her.

"Go away," Karin said, tears rolling down her eyes, "I can take care of myself."

"You're losing a lot of blood Karin," Suigetsu said in an almost pleading voice, "don't do this to yourself."

"I… I…" Karin doesn't have the energy to speak properly now, "I… don't… leave me alone!"

"Don't leave you alone?"

"No, leave… leave…" her vision started to blur, "leave… I think I'm going to… faint."

Her legs went limp and her body could no longer hold her. There were too many things going through her mind and the oxygen in the sewer is too little for her to effectively function.

Suigetsu was there to save her from falling into the murky sewage. He frowned at how pitiful and pathetic she looked before carrying her down the sewer.

* * *

She went around the school building looking for him; the amphitheatre, the modeling studio, the art room, the drama room, the assembly hall, the dance room, the sports hall, past every single classroom but she came to nothing.

"Where on earth is he?" she sighed as she dragged her feet across the science lad where the ingenuity class was having their science lesson.

There, she saw Shikamaru waving slightly to catch her attention. She stopped to try to make out what he is trying to say. It seems to her that Shikamaru wants her to look out of the window.

Sakura nodded and obeyed only to find whom she had been looking for right where Shikamaru pointed.

"Whoa, genius- ness is so handy!" Sakura thought as she raced towards the school back yard where the lonely 'emo' boy stood, dramatically kick rocks about.

"Sasuke," Sakura called as she walks up to him, "gave up looking for Lee?"

Sasuke was pretty shock she came to look for him, since they broke up and especially since her new boyfriend would vehemently object to it. But as usual, he concealed it pretty well being Sasuke.

"Yeah," Sasuke said, giving a final kick to the rock that sent it flying a stones throw, "I concluded that he's invisible."

Sakura laughed, "he's in class."

"Oh really?" Sasuke muttered, looking at the anything but her, "aw man, I wasted my time."

"You don't sound genuinely disappointed," Sakura said, leaning against the wall next to him, "is something bothering you?"

"Perhaps my answer?" she thought cheekily.

"Do you believe that the good guy always gets the girl?" he asked.

She raised her brow seeing how random and totally irrelevant the question is, "hm…" she decided to answer nevertheless, "do you think Edward Cullen is a bad guy?"

Sasuke nodded, "he is pretty bad ass, I must say."

"Then no," Sakura answered, "sometimes the bad guy gets the girl."

"Whoa, you must really like Edward Cullen," he commented casually, "too bad your boyfriend is nothing like him."

He couldn't help himself, his word leaked out like they were stained in poison. It would be lucky if she doesn't realize.

"My boyfriend?" she repeated like she had never heard the term before, "what boyfriend?"

"Hmm?" Sasuke looks at her for the first time and noticed that she is genuinely puzzled, "isn't Naruto your boyfriend?"

Sakura grinned, "is this some elaborate plan to find out my answer to your question?"

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"Then no."

"No?" Sasuke asked, on the verge of laughter, "no to what?"

Sakura smiled, "no, as in, no I wouldn't go out with Naruto even if he asks," she laughed a little, "you do realize we've just conversed entirely with 'no's', don't you?"

She sat down on the plain grass and outstretched her legs, stretched her hands as she yawns with utmost elegance. Her companion follows suit and looks at her with a questionable expression.

"It's nice sitting here," Sakura said as she wind blew through her hair, "ahh, what nice wind. It's so strong."

"Shouldn't we get back to class?" Sasuke asked the girl high in ecstasy, "Kakashi might be waiting for us."

She stopped whatever she was doing and looked at him, "do you want to go back to class now?"

There was a look on Sakura's face, he doesn't know what kind of look it is but the only word he can use to describe it would be 'soft'. There wasn't a feeling in that look, maybe a light of dizziness but the others are unreadable. That look gave him the impression she wanted him to say 'no' and stay with her in this strong wind longer.

He would've said 'no' even without that look.

"No," Sasuke replied.

"Me too," she smiled for a while before her mouth fell open and her eyes widen, "look at that!"

Sasuke turned towards the direction she is pointing to and noticed a bunch of pink dots flying in their direction. Upon closer inspection, they are Sakuras from the huge Sakura tree in the school's back yard. The strong wind must have pulled the Sakura flowers from the tree and sent it flying towards them.

* * *

"Ino," Sai used his pen to tap her light on the wrist, "look."

She turned towards the window and saw Sakura flowers from their school's Sakura tree fly by the window in large numbers. That made her squeal grabbing the whole class's attention.

"Sai," she looks at him with big, round baby eyes, "can you get one for me?"

"Hold a sec Lovely," Sai smiled and walks towards the window, stuck out his hand and skillfully grabbed the first Sakura that slammed into his palm, "here, Lovely."

"Ho yeah!" Ino squealed as she took the Sakura from Sai, "my _boyfriend_ got me a Sakura!"

Tenten shook her head and sighed, "exploiting the use of a boyfriend."

"Haha," Neji fake laughed, "oh Tenten, you're so righteous; you only exploit the use of a male friend."

* * *

Sasuke got up before the Sakura storm could get them and pulled off his shirt. That stunned Sakura a little but she continued watch, curious at what he is about to do next. The guy tied his sleeves together effectively sealing the holes in which his head and his arms came out from. Then he beckoned her to come over and passed her one side of the open end while he took the other.

"Now brace yourself Sakura," Sasuke shouted at her over the strong, howling wind, "the wind is strong but when it gets trapped in this shirt-"

"It slows down and would be stronger," Sakura yelled back, continuing his sentence, "I knew that."

He grinned, "I thought you would."

"It's coming," she said, not being able to hear his last comment, "ready?"

"Set."

"Go!"

Then it came upon them, harder than wind itself. With the force of the Sakura petals and the wind combined, Sasuke was almost thrown off his feet. This made him wonder if it is safe to be standing in the middle of a might be tornado trying to catch as much Sakura Petals as they can with a shirt.

"I just realized something, Sakura," Sasuke shouted with a slightly opened mouth to prevent Sakuras from flying in, "this is going to expand my shirt."

Sakura looked at him with her long, pink hair messily flying in the wind, "but this is so… epic! My hair is going to be out of place!"

"It's nicer like that, it looks like you're upside down."

"Really? I think I'll call it the 'It's messy cause I just had fun with Sasuke' hair do."

"That sounds wrong!" Sasuke laughed, leaving his mouth wide open for Sakuras to enter and fill his mouth.

"I like having fun with you Sasuke," Sakura whispered just in time for the wind to subside.

Sakura turned to look at Sasuke only to find his mouth stuffed with Sakura petals which caused her to burst out laughing. Sasuke spat out all the petals onto his hand and looks at her with the most surprised gaze.

"Why are you laughing?" he asked sarcastically, "don't you know that Sakuras are delicious?"

"Delicious?" she said eyeing the petals in his hand, "are you sure?"

He scoffed, passed her shirt filled with petals before taking a single petal and slowly putting it in his mouth. Then he started chewing the petal showing her a very satisfied expression before swallowing it and opening his mouth for her to see that the petal is gone.

"Oh so they _are_ delicious," Sakura laughed, "I can't believe you just did that!"

"Believe it."

Sakura's eyes widened, "hey, you just quoted Naruto."

"Oh yeah, your b-" Sasuke paused and looks at her, "wait, a moment ago you just said you weren't dating Naruto."

"Yeah," Sakura nodded, "I would only ever date a guy that's like Edward Cullen."

Sasuke thought for a moment, "I don't think there's such a guy."

"Oh believe me, there is. I know," she counted with her fingers, "just one."

He crossed his hands; curious as to which guy came close to a near perfect, mind reading, blood sucking, immortal, fictitious story character, "and who's that?"

"It's-"

_BEEP_

She took out the buzzing phone from her pocket and read the SMS Temari had just sent her: _Shizune is pissed. Where are you?_ Immediately, she looked at the time on her phone and realized that she had been gone for close to half an hour. How could time have passed so quickly?

"We have to get back to class," Sakura told him, "our new teacher, Shizune, isn't going to be very happy… and your shirt."

Sasuke looked down at his bare chest covered with his rippling muscles, "I have another shirt in my locker."

"Great, now we have to get you to your locker without the fan girls going ballistic."

* * *

He took off his shirt and made a makeshift bandage around Karin's heel to stop the bleeding. With her in his arms, he managed to make his way through the sewers to the closest manhole to Karin's house. The sense of direction came with his acute sense of smell, specifically for blood, but in the case, for Karin's scent.

It was a struggle, but he finally managed to get Karin out from the sewer and simultaneously lift the manhole. They emerged on the close to empty road directly opposite her apartment.

Suigetsu knew Orochimaru would never return to Karin's apartment because they knew she wouldn't go back to her rat hole. It was simply just too obvious. But it was obvious to the point in which it became _not_ obvious at all. Reverse psychology.

Compared to the rest of the journey, bringing Karin up and into her apartment was a piece of cake. Gently, he placed her on her bed and it was like dejavu to him.

For too long he has tried to suppress these thoughts allowing him to admit to himself that he loves her. Just looking at her, lying on her bed, unconscious, bleeding and being unable to do practically anything just hurts him. It hurts him so bed.

"This is why we go to school," he muttered as he tried to wipe the murk off her face, "so we know what to do in these situations… Karin. Wake up damn it.

"Wake up."

Nothing happened. She didn't respond.

"DAMN IT!" Suigetsu screamed, "DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!" he got up and frantically paced around the room, "it is all my fault, my FUCKING FAULT. I shouldn't have dragged her into this. I shouldn't have met her… FUCK."

He rushed into the kitchen and rinsed a cloth in attempts to disinfect her wound. The bleeding her slowed down to almost tickles of blood, he noticed, but she was still unconscious. It worried him; it felt as if she might just stop any moment.

He knew he needed Shikamaru's help, but he doesn't know how to contact the guy neither did he feel safe to leave Karin here as he left to look for him. There's nothing he can do now but wait, hopefully, for her to come to.

The clock is ticking and as every moment pass, Kabuto is closer to finding the two of them.

* * *

_Knock. Knock._

"You may enter," Shizune said.

Sasuke and Sakura entered the classroom, fully aware of the consequences they are about to face. Still, they bore half smiling, half serious expressions and stood in front of the fully annoyed teacher.

"What took you so long?" Shizune asked, "it was a full forty five minutes."

"Well we…" Sakura panicked at the thought of coming up with an excuse on the spot, she is never one for lying.

"We ran into some trouble on the road of life," Sasuke offered with a weak, copied excuse.

Upon hearing that, the whole class erupted with laughter at the reminder of their previous form teacher. It was then; some noticed something different with Sasuke.

No, they didn't notice he seems more… gleeful.

"Wasn't Sasuke wearing something different today morning?" Neji whispered under his breath, "what happened to that shirt?"

Tenten seemed to have heard that and nodded vigorously in agreement, "yeah, what happened to his shirt?"

The pair sat there thinking up possibilities before a similar thought dawned on the two of them. It made Tenten gasp and Neji wide eyed.

"Could it be?" Tenten asked, exasperated.

Neji pointed a warning finger at her and shook his head, "don't jump in conclusions like that without solid evidence."

"But you're obviously thinking the same thing!" Tenten claimed, "that would only confirm my suspicions."

"Uchiha Sasuke," Shizune said in an authoritative voice, "get back to your seat and Sakura," she turned her attention towards the innocent looking girl and immediately had a switch in tone, "thank you."

When Sakura returned to her seat, Ino, Tenten and Temari threw her the same question: What did the two of you do?

Sakura frowned somewhat guessing what the two girls meant, "ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny."

* * *

Temari found Shikamaru patiently waiting for her outside the school gates after school. The look on his face when she saw him made her realize whatever they'd be doing it's going to be serious business. He had his thinking face on- his eyebrows were furrowed and his beady eyes staring blankly on the ground, his arms and legs were crossed but his fingers were moving rapidly in a tapping motion- she found that expression incredibly cute.

"I was just thinking," Shikamaru said automatically when Temari got by his side, "where Suigetsu and Karin might be."

Temari was about to reply but something orange and bright caught her eye. Instantly, she recognized what it was and quickly made a beeline for it. They found Juugo standing conspicuously behind the tree with shades on.

"Juugo right?" Temari asked excitedly, "you'd know where Suigetsu and Karin are!"

"I don't. But I'm guessing he should've found her by now. They've gone into hiding from Orochimaru and Kabuto."

"Hold it," Shikamaru stopped him, a partially shocked expression on his face, "Orochimaru as in that pale guy with long black hair?"

Surprised as to how Shikamaru might know Orochimaru, Juugo eagerly agreed.

"Yes, how- I thought Orochimaru should've gone to Konoha South for the fourth keeper?" Juugo explained, "unless… Listen, listen carefully, you must be wary of Orochimaru. He is going to strike soon. He needs a student Konoha West-"

"Our school?" Temeri asked puzzled.

"Yes, your school, to find the fourth part of the cryptext. He's got Suigetsu from Konoha North, I'm was from Konoha East Middle School… Karin was from Konoha South?"

"I think so…"

"Sorry, I'm not getting you. What cryptext? This is more complicated than I anticipated it to be. Damn."

"I don't have much time," Juugo muttered, looking around quickly, "but here's the general idea of Orochimaru's whole scheme."

BREAK

"Sakura!" Ino yelled from the hallway, "are you coming?"

"Hold up! I need to get some book from my locker!" Sakura said in a more civilized tone as she opened her locker.

As she swung open the door, she was met with an explosion of Sakura petals in her face. It overwhelmed her with its scent and blinded her vision. All she could see were blurry specks of pink. It made her laugh and it was no question as to who came up with such a ploy. Only Sasuke had this much Sakura petals to fill her entire locker and only Sasuke knew the combination of her lock.

"OH MY GAWD!" Ino yelled as she rushed towards Sakura, "what the fuck is this? This is so romantic! Who's the knight in shining armor?"

She smiled as she saw the note on the ledge of her locker on top of her Biology textbook.

_Hey lovely._

"It's Sasuke."

"Sasuke?" Ino gasped, "but I thought you two broke up?"

"We did," Sakura nodded taking her biology textbook out and shutting her locker.

"But?"

"But we made up?" Sakura said, "or at least I think we did."

Ino gasped again, "how mysterious! I'll ask Sai for you! He'll know!"

Ino proceed to dialing Sai on her mobile, excited to find out the truth behind Sasuke's action while Sakura stared dreamily ahead into the emptiness of the hallway. Her dreams, the romantic fantasies have somewhat been fulfilled. No doubt had she made the die-hard romantic of the group jealous, what an achievement! It pleased her, in a sense, to know that Sasuke's knows what she wants.

She felt special.

It can't get any better!

Or can it?

"Hey lovely."

She looked towards the source of the voice and found Sasuke stand there, leaning against his sleek, black car in all godly wonder.

"Hey yourself," Sakura said in the most sultry voice she could muster, "I saw the petals."

"You liked it?" he grinned.

She nodded, "but the janitor won't."

"Oh yeah," Sasuke pumped his fist into the air, "score one for Uchiha Sasuke."

"What are you doing here Sasuke?" Ino asked smugly, "Tennie and Hinata are waiting for us!"

Sasuke smirked and opened the passenger door of his car, "I'm here to take the beautiful and intelligent Haruno Sakura out for dinner."

Ino's mouth fell wide open upon witnessing the stark turn in Sasuke's personality. Sakura, on the other hand, beamed with pride and joy- this isn't truly happening.

* * *

"This is too much," Shikamaru muttered pacing about the room, "what's this book about? There is a damn good reason for it to be so well hidden! Why the hell is everyone tampering with the equilibrium? This is beyond troublesome!"

"I'm glad that Suigetsu and Karin have each other now," Temari said equally worried, "but I'm just so up and about with this fourth keeper… who do you think Orochimaru picked? Unless-"

They looked at each other at the same time have the same thought threading through their minds. A moment of silence and they shook it off.

"No way, Orochimaru can't see potential in… _Ino_," Temari said, "that's absurd. Swimming prodigy like Suigetsu, Biology genius like Juugo and Sensor like Karin… Ino can't possibly fall among the ranks!" she paused and bit her lips, a thought occurred to her, "what if he picked… _you_?"

Shikamaru considered the possibility but ignored it, "he can't have. He would've tried to get closer to me… to look for opportunities to get me."

"I have a feeling he's going for Sasuke," Temari said out of the blue, "think of it this way, Sasuke is a taekwondo genius. His skills are just deathly! What if that's what Orochimaru is looking for? I do recall him asking Ino about what Sasuke's participating in for sports day… Sasuke must be it!"

"He is our greatest possibility," Shikamaru agreed, "it's a good thing you'll be going to Suna tomorrow, you won't have to be entangled in this mess."

Temari frowned, "I dearly regret it. I really want to get involved in this one! Its so… dramatic!"

"It's dangerous and scary and VERY troublesome," Shikamaru said seriously, "but I am obliged to participate as Karin, Suigetsu and possibly Sasuke are involved. He's going to strike tomorrow… We know about this too damn late, it's tomorrow! We can't tell authorities, they would never believe us. Given your status, the media attention would also divert Orochimaru from his plans, we can't just delay his actions; it'll be a futile plan. Think, think Shikamaru."

Whilst Shikamaru was deep in thought, Temari took the initiative to map out the course of the big relay, marking out all the checkpoints and stops in which the participants would be at. Sasuke would be is the school's multistory carpark. The nearest participants to Sasuke would be Neji and Tenten. His task would be to pull a five-litre can of diesel from the carpark to the schoolyard, the goal is to be the first team to light up their bonfire. Neji is before him and Tenten after.

The other teams would be nowhere near Sasuke, they'd either be at other carparks or on other floors. No one would be readily able to help Sasuke if he needed help; the best person to rely on is Neji.

"I have completely no idea how Orochimaru is going to capture Sasuke. Ambush him? Sasuke would be able to fight him off… Temari, help," Shikamaru sat on his bed and massaged his temples, "this is killing me!"

"Here," she went and sat next to him showing him her map, "I'm certain Orochimaru would make his move before Neji arrives because during that time, Sasuke would be alone and his location is definite. Orochimaru has the time advantage from the very first person and he'll probably enlist someone to keep a look out for Neji- Shikamaru, we can't get Neji's help; he would give it away, Sasuke is his brother."

"I have to be there then…" Shikamaru claimed solemnly.

Temari's eyes widened at the risk involved, "no! Kakashi! Kakashi can take them on!"

"I've thought of that possibility," Shikamaru mentioned thoughtfully, "but we can't contact them, they were careful enough to leave no trace of themselves. It is possible with some investigation on my part, but we don't have that time. I have to be there. It's going to be troublesome."

"Shikamaru," Temari said aghast at the way he is taking this, "what is this? You're taking this too fucking lightly. You can't just play hero all the time and sacrifice yourself! WHAT THE FUCK? NO. You're not going."

Shikamaru looked at Temari for a moment and smiled, "ok. That was stupid. I won't. I thought about someone else- Sai. He has some Taekwondo experience, I'm sure. I'll tell him… Actually, I'll tell him now," he got up and walked towards the door, "you stay here and think about where Suigetsu and Karin might be. Agree?"

For a moment Temari was suspicious of Shikamaru, she had thought convincing out of it would take more than just a simple emotional line. But thinking it through, Shikamaru must've realized how stupid a decision it was to put his own life on the line when there are obviously more suited people. But there was still something about the way he said it that worried her.

"Agreed," Temari smiled at Shikamaru as he walked out of the room.

Once outside, Shikamaru whipped out his phone and made a phone call.

"Hello?" the receiver answered.

"Hi Gaara, I need a favour."

* * *

Everything was looked hazy and bright. The pain came about seconds later. She whined. It took a while before the memories from the sewer came flooding in and a bit more before she realize she was back at her apartment.

"Suigetsu?" she called out with uncertainty in her voice, "what happened?"

Suigetsu appeared in a flash, worry and satisfaction splashed his face. Immediately, he had her propped up against the headboard of her bed. For the first time, she noticed her leg was properly bandaged with gauze and all.

"You didn't bring me to the hospital did you?" she asked shocked by the professionalism in the bandaging.

Suigetsu shrugged, "of course I didn't, I wrapped it myself! You have to know such first aid when swimming."

She looked around and spotted her alarm clock. 8:30. She's been out for so long.

"You brought me here?" she asked unable to return to her former feistiness, "how?"

"I carried you, duh," Suigetsu answered, "I carried you all the way through the sewer and tried to follow your scent back to your house. It was bloody hard, but I managed."

Just imagining what he went through made her feel terrible. She should've been there to help him. If she weren't so persistent, she wouldn't have been such a burden. And he bandaged her! She spotted his bloody shirt lying randomly on her bedroom floor and realized he must've tried to wrap her wound with it in the sewers when there was nothing else. It touched her, to say the least, she was never more grateful to anyone than she was to him. And he loved her. It almost made her laugh and cry out of pity and disappointment; how can someone give so much knowing that they have little to receive?

"Thank you," she murmured, looking at him, "thank you for taking care of me and… not leaving me behind."

"How can you think I was going to leave you behind?" he asked partially astonished, "I'd never."

She tried not to, but she couldn't, so she did. She cried. She wailed and screeched and moaned about her current situation, their existing plight, his gorgeousness, his amazingness and her guilt. She cried about her parents and his, she cried about her friends or her lack of them, she cried about her past and present and her future. She cried about them and how there can never be a 'them'. She cried about all the things she meant to cry for but never did. She cried for herself and she cried for him.

She cried.

Suigetsu wasn't surprised. What shocked him was how long it took her to cry like that. He moved closer to her, wanting to comfort her and feel her, but wary of her comfort zone and her temper. But she didn't flinch from him. He advanced closer and closer to her until he had one arm around her shoulders and the other gripping tightly to her hands. She leant against his bare shoulder and drenched his white hair with her salty, overdue tears.

"What are we going to do Suigetsu?" she cried against his shoulder, "I don't want to die. I haven't lived! I haven't graduated!" she raised her head and looked at him, "I haven't dated you."

That shook him. To think there could've been a 'her and he' if they weren't jumbled in this mess. They could've went out and might been one of the hottest couples in school, in Konoha. They could've graduated and went to College and University together. They could've gotten married and had children. He thought about names before and he could almost imagine his daughter with Karin; fiery red hair in pony tails, purple eyes gleaming like amethyst and a lovely, womanly stature like her mother. Her name would be Mizu and she would be the most brilliant swimmer Konoha has ever seen. They could've had a future together.

He leaned in closer to her and kissed her on the lips.

She shivered under his touch but it only took seconds before she twined her arms around his waist. They stayed like that in passion filled minutes.

* * *

"And what's all this about?" Sakura asked once they're settled in the restaurant, "you can drop the act Sasuke."

"Phew," Sasuke removed the constantly charming expression on his face and switched to his normal, moody face, "I was wondering when you'd get enough of all your fantasies and drama."

She laughed, "how did you know?"

"Well lets say you gave it away with all your talk about Edward Cullen and some perfect guy," Sasuke said in a less than romantic voice he adopted minutes ago, "and please, you devour Shakespeare. It wasn't that hard of a deduction that you'd like something dramatic and glorifying."

"At your expense?"

"I had to get you back! What was I to do? I thought Naruto had the upper hand and was about to steal you away!"

Sakura raised a brow, "I would've never guessed with all your persistent questioning that your were jealous of Naruto's circumstance."

"So… Was that enough to get you back after so shamefully dumping you?" Sasuke asked hopefully giving her his pitiable, puppy dog look, "Sakura chan~"

She looked around the restaurant and observed its fanciness and glamor. He had put a lot of thought into this. Setting, behavior, timing… everything!

"Well…" Sakura smirked, "I'm not sure."

She wanted more than this.

"I thought so," Sasuke said getting up from his seat, "this is going to be a movie reference. Temari would applaud me for this…"

Sasuke made his way toward the live band in the restaurant. She thought he had secretly planned for the band to play a song to swoon her into reaccepting him. But no… she so underestimated him. He got up on stage, shocking the singer, the pianist, the guitarist, the bassist and the sax player. Quickly, he grabbed the mic and pulled it out of the stand.

"_You're just too good to be true_," Sasuke sang.

The band stopped playing their music and watched him, unsure of what to do. The entire restaurant was looking at him. But he ignored them and stared directly at Sakura who sat a few rows back.

"_Can't take my eyes of you…_" he walked off the stage, "_you'd be like heaven to touch, I just wanna hold you so much._"

She couldn't help but laugh at this. She knew what movie he's quoting; she knew it all too well. It is a movie adaptation of _Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew_- _10 things I hate about you_.

"_At long last love has arrived, and I thank god I'm alive, you're just too good to be true, can't take my eyes off you…_"

The band picked up their instruments once they understood where this was going and prepared themselves for something big.

"_I LOVE YOU BABY!_"

The band started playing, adding on to all the dynamics and drama. The guests applauded and cheered in response believing it all to be a set up.

"_AND IF ITS QUITE ALL RIGHT, I NEED YOU BABY, TO WARM MY LONELY NIGHTS!_" he sauntered towards her in a very un- Sasuke- like fashion, "_I LOVE YOU BABY, TRUST IN ME WHEN I SAY… OH PRETTY BABY, DON'T BRING ME DOWN I PRAY,_" he got in front of her and knelt down, "_PRETTY BABY, NOW THAT I FOUND YOU, STAY,_" he held her hand with his free one, "_AND LET ME LOVE YOU BABY, LET ME LOVE YOU…_" he came up to her and bent down to reach her ear, "and for the record, I think Petruchio is _so_ much cooler than Edward Cullen."

Whether planned or unplanned, Sasuke went out of his way to make her happy, and that made her infinitely ecstatic.

* * *

"You phone is broken, I can't look for any of your friends contacts!" Suigetsu exclaimed, "did you memorize any?"

"Get my laptop," Karin demanded, pointing to the shiny thing on her counter top, "I always update my phone with my computer, so the information is all synced in," she entered a few keys and with some click of the button she got Temari's number.

Suigetsu grabbed her household phone and dialed in the number to contact Temari in hope that she and Shikamaru would help them.

* * *

"Shikamaru!" Temari burst through the door in time to see Shikamaru hang up his call, "they're at Karin's old apartment! We have to hurry back!"

"Are you sure?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yes, Suigetsu just called!"

* * *

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Kabuto took out his monitor and grinned. It was telling him that Karin's household phone is being used. Earlier on, whilst they were trying to get information about Karin, they rigged her household phone line in order to gather information about her. Up till now, the phone is still rigged and it would notify in on any activity occurring.

"So… Karin and Suigetsu are at Karin's house," Kabuto hopped onto his bike, "I must get there before their help does!"

* * *

"Hello? Sai dear?" Ino answered her phone in her sweetet voice.

"Hello little angel," he replied, "I need to tell you something important."

She straightened, "yes?"

"I won't be coming to school tomorrow," he told her in the most regretful voice he could muster, "I have to go for a medical appointment. You know, the usual mandatory check ups. So I won't be in school tomorrow."

Ino frowned. A day without seeing Sai was like a year without runways and clothes.

"I'll dreadfully miss you," she said.

"Don't miss me dearest Ino," he said, "I'm not worth that space in your heart and mind. Dedicate it to more important things."

"HOW CAN YOU SAY SUCH A THING?" Ino wailed, "THAT'S MAD!"

"Calm down Ino," Sai soothed her, "you'll have to get used to such things."

"I don-"

"Good bye Ino," Sai interrupted her, "have a good night's rest and…" he lowered is voice to a minute whisper, "forget about me."

"BYE SAI DEARY!" Ino chirped, "see you soon!"

* * *

"SUIGETSU! KARIN! IT'S US! OPEN UP!" Shikamaru yelled as he vigorously knocked on the door.

There wasn't an answer.

"SUIGETSU! KARIN!" Temari tried a turn.

No answer.

Shikamaru tried the doorknob and the door swung open, revealing a blood stained living room.

They ran into the house and searched the rooms.

"SHIKAMARU!" Temari yelled from Karin's bedroom in an almost fearful screech, "COME HERE!"

Shikamaru ran over as fast as he could not knowing what to expect. It could be a note, more blood, remnants of their clothing… anything! But he never expected a dead body.

"FUCK," Shikamaru yelped when he saw the motionless, bleeding body, "it's that guy that came to Karin's apartment!"

Yes, it's Kabuto.

"Did you find anything in the other rooms?" Temari asked, her voice shaking from the sight of Kabuto.

Shikamaru merely shook his head, "his neck was bitten. Part of it was bitten off… Suigetsu did it. They probably fled because he came after they phoned you."

"What's that?" Temari asked pointing to a syringe near Kabuto, "some of the substance has been pushed out."

"Don't touch anything," Shikamaru demanded, "I'm calling the police, this shit is serious. There is a fucking corpse here! Oh my lord. This is troublesome."

* * *

_Knock, knock, knock._

_Karin sat up from the bed and looked at Suigetsu with anxious eyes, "it's Shikamaru and Temari, hurry!" _

_Suigetsu ran toward the door and, without thinking, swung it open. Before he could properly process that the person on the other side of the door is neither Shikamaru or Temari, the person stabbed the needle of a syringe into his arm. _

"_FUCK!" Suigetsu yelp as he tried to push the man off and pulled the syringe out, "KABUTO!'_

"_Where's Karin?" Kabuto demanded stepping into the house, "WHERE IS SHE?" _

_Suigetsu felt a numbing sensation in his arm and it's spreading to his shoulder and upper body. There was something in that syringe that is causing him to feel really weak and tired. _

"_I… I never found her," he said breathlessly, stepping in front of Kabuto to block his way, "she's somewhere, out there." _

"_Don't lie," Kabuto pushed Suigetsu aside and started to make his way to the kitchen, "she's here, I know it."_

_Suigetsu grabbed Kabuto's arm and with what little strength left, flung Kabuto away from the kitchen and against the wall of the apartment, "She. Isn't. Here." _

_Kabuto only smirked; Suigetsu's actions gave too much away, she's definitely in the apartment. _

"_FUCK OFF," Kabuto yelled pushing the weak Suigetsu down on the ground. _

_Kabuto made a dash for the kitchen and upon finding no one there, quickly headed for the bedroom. But he found no one there either. The bed was in a mess and there was blood everywhere. _

_Blood._

"_Karin!" he called out, pacing about the room, "I know you're in here… come out now."_

_He glanced at her wardrobe, finding it oddly suspicious, "Karin… come out, come out wherever you are…" _

_He took a syringe in one hand, prepared to inject Karin once the closet doors opened, and carefully held the handle of the wardrobe with the other. In a flash, he flung the door wide open, prepared to attack her, but it revealed nothing. The wardrobe was short of life, sparsely decorated with clothes and accessories but no Karin. _

"_LET US GO YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" Karin screamed as she emerged from behind Kabuto. _

_Swiftly, Karin bravely snatched the syringe from Kabuto's hands and held Kabuto down with an arm around his neck. In a state of shock and confusion, Kabuto's defenses fell and he was rendered useless. Karin gladly took the opportunity to stab Kabuto with the syringe, leaving him semi conscious and barely able to move properly. She released him when she felt his struggle for freedom dampen and cautiously stepped back. Then, she didn't know what to do; he definitely did have some power left, certainly enough to tackle her, but he wouldn't have energy to turn them back to Orochimaru. Karin watched as Kabuto limped towards her in a futile effort to scare her; she bore a perfectly calm and composed expression on her face. _

"_You little bitch," he muttered, glaring at her, "get the fuck over here!" _

_Suigetsu appeared in the room, clearly with more energy than Kabuto but still rather lifeless. He instantly took Karin by the arm and pushed her out of the room in one swift movement. Then, he took Kabuto by the neck, though Kabuto struggled to fight Suigetsu off, it was to no avail, Suigetsu's strength outran his own. _

"_You're going down motherfucker," were Suigetsu's last words to Kabuto and the last words Kabuto heard from anyone before his throat was ripped out by Suigetsu's razor sharp teeth. _

_In 3 bites did Kabuto's struggle subside and he was concluded to be dead. Suigetsu dropped the dead man's body and fell by his side. He had no energy left, lethargy was killing him by the second. _

_Karin inched into the room when it came silent. She noted that Suigetsu was the victor in the struggle but was in a condition that wasn't far off from Kabuto's. She rushed to him and took him by the hand._

"_Orochimaru would be coming soon," Suigetsu muttered tiredly, "Kabuto must have informed him before coming here. Quick… run…" _

"_Suigetsu?" Karin called as she shook his limp body a little, "Suigetsu? SUIGETSU?" _

_She frantically searched for a pulse, it was dreadful few seconds for her as she tried to search for one; she never took biology, she doesn't know which part of a wrist would she find a pulse or the lack of one. _

_Relief washed over her when she noted the periodic pulsation on his wrist and the steady movement of his chest. He's asleep. Deep asleep. Not dead. _

_She knew he was right. Orochimaru would be here any moment now. They have to move out quickly. But her injured leg and his unconscious body would render their movement very inefficient. Orochimaru is sure to catch up with them soon. _

_Out of the blue, she heard the doorknob of the main door twist open. It startled her; someone just entered the house. It could be Shikamaru and Temari or it could be Orochimaru, she didn't want to risk anything to find out. Quickly, she slid Suigetsu and herself under her bed, the spot in which she laid that helped her remain undetectable by Kabuto. _

_There were footsteps and she could tell it was a single person, a very calm person. It was pacing about her living room. As the footsteps got closer, she instinctively covered her mouth with her hands to prevent any sound from escaping it. He's approaching the bedroom and soon, he'll see the lifeless Kabuto. _

_From the gap between the bed sheet and the floor, she saw a pair of long lanky legs emerge at the door. It stood there for a few seconds, not moving. It never ventured into the room but she heard a little laugh come from the person. She reckoned it was due to the sight of a dead Kabuto. _

"_Those little fuckers managed to escape."_

_She saw the legs walk away, heard the footsteps quieting and the door closing with a loud 'thud'. Then silence. _

_She wasted no time. She allowed a minute to pass before she dragged Suigetsu out from under the bed, slung his arms around her neck and pulled him out of the bedroom into the living area. _

_Before she could open the door and flee the house, a hand from behind grabbed her by the neck and it's fingers placed some pressure about her collarbone. Karin's grip on Suigetsu failed, with the little energy in her, she spun around and managed to give a dirty scowl to Orochimaru before passing out._

"_Stupid girl," Orochimaru muttered as he observed the two unconscious teenagers lying limp before him, "for a moment I was afraid she might use her sensing powers, but she's too stupid to."_

* * *

"Might there be others searching for the book as well?" Kakashi asked when he met Pein in person that night.

"That was what I was worried about," Pein admitted, "I do suspect someone, but I'm not sure that's why I had Zetsu trek this person's behavior for the past few months."

Kakashi and Anko leaned towards Pein sensing that Zetsu had discovered something important.

"Zetsu has reported that Orochimaru is also looking for the book," Pein announced.

"Orochimaru?" Kakashi asked, puzzled, "as in the modeling club teacher?"

Pein nodded, "he posed as their teacher to keep tabs on Karin, he believes she has some unnatural, super ability like his two other men- Suigetsu and Juugo."

"Four cryptexts… three men…" Anko said, "he's missing one."

Pein nodded, "missing one from Konoha West."

Anko snapped her fingers, "if I'm not mistaken, he must be striking tomorrow. Sports day, security is low and all the students are widely spread out. It'll be easier tomorrow than ever to get the student."

"Most of the events are groups events, he won't be able to single out one person and just kidnap him," Kakashi mentioned, "unless, unless you're talking about the big relay."

Anko nodded, "Yes. Every class-"

"And close to every pupil would be participating," Pein continued, "but there are too many pupils to keep tabs on."

Anko snapped her fingers again, "here's where everything gets risky and presumptuous; Orochimaru must've made contact or had some form of interaction with his next target, am I right? So, we know he doesn't teach any legitimate subjects; he is only a teacher for the modeling club. He grabbed Karin from there and they were closer than he was with other students. And who do we know has an unofficial rivalry with Karin?"

"Ino."

"Exactly, Ino. But from observation, we see no superior quality in Ino," Anko stated, "so that must mean is only using Ino for information. And, thus, we've narrowed it down to a few students."

Kakashi beamed at her apt and logical explanation, he was never more proud.

"You _are_ a genius," Kakashi exclaimed, grinning at Anko, "that's so sexy!"

Pein rolled his eyes, "and what happens when we find out which student he is targeting?"

"We take note," Anko said, "Orochimaru wouldn't be able to get those cryptext without these students' help, and we wouldn't be able to get those cryptext too. They're the most efficient possible way. Our task is simple; we'll have to keep a close watch on these four kids, once the cryptext is in their hands, we'll take it from them. You guys are the Akatsuki and Kakashi is- _was_- a government spy; it should be easy enough."

"Anyway," Pein added, "he wouldn't even be able to crack the code if he had the cryptexts. The person who created it made it almost impossible to crack," he turned to Anko, "that's why we need you to help us with it."

She was about to say something before a thought stopped her, "what if the last pupil is Shikamaru? He might be able to crack it! He is a genius! And… why do you need me? Why didn't you ask Shikamaru or Itachi?"

"Shikamaru is inconvenient to us and would rouse to much attention whilst Itachi on the other hand, he won't be able to crack it," Pein laughed a little- a rare occurrence, "he is only good at Math and Science. He is not a genius."

Kakashi go up from his seat and walked about the room carefully thinking through all the people, he knew, that were close to Ino. He cancelled out any possibility in Naruto, Tenten, Hinata and Ino's part, they weren't extraordinary enough for Orochimaru's preference. Then there's Sakura the intelligent one, but not as intelligent as Shikamaru; that cancels her out. Shikamaru still stands. Temari, she is a pretty good candidate. She is somewhat of a princess… but that's it. All Orochimaru can ever gain from her would be authority, but that isn't what he needs for this mission- at least not authority over Suna that is. The four brothers? Ino's only fond of three. Sai isn't that much of a talent in his eyes, neither is fancy pansy Neji, but Sasuke, Sasuke could fight, very, very well.

"I think we should put more effort into Shikamaru, Sai, Neji and Sasuke," Kakashi said after much thought, "they're the ones with the most possibility."

"I have this feeling Orochimaru must use Shikamaru," Anko said, "he must, there is no other way he can break the code," she grinned, "unless he kidnaps the world's geniuses and force them to solve it! Hah. That'll be retarded."

* * *

"Nara Shikamaru?" a voice called from behind as a hand grabbed his shoulder.

Shikamaru turned around and came face to face with an adult male in his fifties. He immediately recognized the guy and bowed in respect.

"Governor Danzo," Shikamaru greeted.

Temari followed Shikamaru and acknowledge Danzo's presence.

"And you're Sabaku No Temari I presume," Danzo smiled at her, "I was around the neighborhood when my men reported a murder here so I came to check it out. Instead of finding a dead body, I find the two of you, how quire… what brings you here?"

"Well," Shikamaru said in a composed tone, "the owner of this house happens to be one our closest friends and we're here to visit her, but we found that corpse instead. We're not sure of what happened, but we're quite worried about her."

Danzo nodded baring a concerned look on her face, "I understand your sentiments, but fret not, you can leave these things to my men while you concentrate on fitting into your new school."

"Ah yes," Shikamaru tried to mask his disappointment, "it starts soon."

"The day after tomorrow in fact," Danzo added much too cheerfully, "I never regretted requesting you to join the school. I know it's a little last minute, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it. It's a school of geniuses, a project Konoha is working on to cultivate an efficient work force, and you'll find people of similar, if not higher, intellect than yourself. I'm sure you'll find the place very suitable."

Shikamaru could only smile.

When Shikamaru and Temari left Karin's apartment and were in the car, Shikamaru started ranting on and on about how Danzo shouldn't have done that and how the whole situation has worsened beyond recognition.

"Karin and Suigetsu are with Orochimaru now," Shikamaru said, "Kabuto must've called for Orochimaru's help before coming."

"What now then?" Temari asked quietly, "Sai's our only hope. Tomorrow, we have to do this."

Shikamaru remained silent. He recalled whatever happened back at his house when he made the phone call to Gaara.

"_Hello?" the receiver answered. _

"_Hi Gaara, I need a favour."_

"_Nara? What do you want?" Gaara asked as politely as he could. _

"_Well, you're coming to get Temari tomorrow aren't you?" he asked, "would it be ok if you came earlier, like the morning?"_

"_Why's that?" _

"_I suspect that someone from Konoha West might be kidnapped tomorrow and I'm having this nagging feeling that it might be Temari," Shikamaru explained, "but if she doesn't turn up in school, she wouldn't be in any danger."_

"_That's why I insisted on security guards!" Gaara muttered, "fine, tomorrow I'll pick her up as early as day breaks. What about you?"_

"_I'm going to find the kidnapper."_

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

PART TWO

_Sports day…_

"Temari! Aren't you bringing your luggage with you?" Sakura asked from the room.

"No, I'll come back later to get it," Temari replied from the living room, "we're leaving soon!"

The girls but Sakura were in their gym wear- baby blue jersey razor back tanks and matching baby blue shorts. Temari had her camera bag slung over one shoulder and a tripod in hand prepared for some photo taking action. Sakura was in her paramedic uniform prepared for duty on site in the event of an emergency. Hinata and Tenten had their knapsacks on with tons of food and liquid to last the five of them for the day and Ino wore her navy visor with matching black sunnies and a pair of knee high socks of which she claims would 'accentuate her long model legs'.

The five were prepared to leave until Temari spotted a familiar black car parked outside the house.

"Hey girls," she called out, "any of your boyfriends picking you up?"

"No," they replied in sheer unison.

Temari stepped out of the house to investigate and as she did, Gaara stepped out of the black car. She frowned. He wasn't supposed to be here until later that evening, she specifically told him that she had a school event.

"Change of plans Temari," Gaara said calmly as he briskly walked up to her, "we have to leave now."

"Leave now?" Temari asked, offended that Gaara never paid attention to her wishes, "but I thought-"

"It's urgent, we need to settle some pressing legal issues as soon as possible," Gaara said, "please cooperate and get your things, our ship leaves the dock at ten. We must hurry."

Not knowing how to respond, Temari obeyed and rushed into the house to get her things. Along the way the girls gave her questioning looks and she hurriedly explained to them her situation. Once they loaded her luggage onto the car, the girls gave Temari a hug before she left for the dock with Gaara.

On the car ride to the dock, she made a phone call to Shikamaru to tell him of her departure.

"Hello?" came Shikamaru's liver than usual voice, "Temari?"

"Gaara was outside my house today, he said I needed to get to Suna as soon as possible," Temari told him, "I don't know what's up but I have to go, I wouldn't be able to see you in school today."

"Really?" Shikamaru whined, "that sucks. But what can we do? Hm. Call me when you reach Suna?"

The conversation didn't last long. But when Temari hung up, she's convinced that something is up. Shikamaru was no Emmy award-winning actor, he can't tell a proper lie without rouse her suspicion. She glanced over at Gaara, who sat next to her in absolute serenity, he's typical quiet and nonchalant demeanor did help with this whole ploy.

"Exactly what's so important and urgent that I have to be at Suna as soon as possible?" Temari asked with a hint of doubt in her voice.

Gaara seemed t have picked up on that and lowly replied: " apparently contracts have a deadline."

"They do?" she asked, "I never knew."

The car took them to the dock and when they reached, it was already nine.

_Ring, ring, ring. _

Temari looked at her phone, curious as to who'd be calling her at a time like this. Ino.

"Ino?" Temari answered the phone, "aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"I'm hiding!" Ino said in a whisper.

That scared Temari. Could it be that she's Orochimaru's last target? Could it be that she's hiding from him?

"You're a good liar aren't you?" she continued, "give me a good excuse to skip school?"

"What?"

"Skip school!"

"Why'd you want to skip school?"

"I want to go see Sai," Ino explained quietly, "he's in the hospital today cause he has some medical checkup. He can't come to school."

Temari almost rolled her eyes upon realizing how small and minute the problem here was. But then, she processed that Sai wasn't going to be in school that day. That was wrong in every aspect. Sai can't can't be in school today; he is part of Shikamaru's plan to help Sasuke from Oorchimaru- unless Sai not being in school is part of the plan. But that wouldn't make any sense! Sai has to be within the school compounds to render any help.

It only took a few moments of recollection and thinking before she understood Shikamaru's real plan. She glanced at Gaara from the corner of her eye and spied his blank expression. He was in on it too.

Shikamaru plans to send her away so that she wouldn't stop him from helping Sasuke and interfere with his plans. He knew Sai wasn't going to be in school, he knew nobody but himself is able to help Sasuke.

As much logic there is to his plan, she just can't let it pass. Hell, even if it were Sai going, she still wouldn't let it pass; Sai's her friend! Shikamaru's her boyfriend! What the fucking hell?

But, foremost, she needs to get away from Gaara.

"I have to change," she said after hanging up on Ino, "you can't expect me to appear in Suna dressed in my gym wear."

Gaara gave her a thoughtful look, "true," he agreed, "you go on then, "I'll be waiting here for you."

Her original plan was to go in the direction of the toilet but not actually enter the toilet. It could've worked if Gaara hadn't sent guards with her to the toilet. She was being led all the way to the toilet door with her camera and her clothes. The guards ensured there wasn't anyone in the toilet before they allowed her to enter.

Once inside, she dropped her clothes and frantically searched for an alternative way out. At a distance, on the opposite end of the toilet, was a window just large enough for her to squeeze out of and escape.

Unfortunately, she wasn't tall enough to reach the ledge of the window and there weren't any stools around to help her elevate herself. Looking at the sink next to her and the distance between the window and the sink, she realized her only way of reaching the window was to jump from the sink.

Determined, she strapped her camera tightly across her body and agilely climbed up the sink. She steadied herself at the edge and stretched her arms towards the window. She needed more height, but there was no other way. In the count of three, Temari braced herself as she lunged forward and grabbed the ledge of the window in mid air, successful getting onto the window. She pulled herself up and in no time was out of the window.

Now, she needed to get to school, easy enough.

* * *

"_All the players of the big relay, please get into positions by nine forty five. I repeat nine forty five. Thank you._"

"Tennie!" Ino rushed up to the girl, "Temari told me it's stupid to skip school for a guy and just hung up!"

Tenten laughed, "it _is_ stupid."

They were making their way to the last station of the big relay- the school field. Tenten was in charge of receiving the diesel from Sasuke, skillfully pouring the diesel onto the wood and lighting up the whole thing.

Ino pouted at Tenten's remark but said nothing in response.

"What time does the big relay start?" Ino asked, "I want to hang out in Sakura's _air conditioned_ tent for a while before coming to support you. Heh."

Tenten rolled her eyes, "it starts at ten and you don't need to come if you don't want to, stay in your air conditioned tent for all I care!"

"Don't be like that Tennie," Ino whined as she locked arms with Tenten, "you know my skin can't withstand the blistering heat! I might just break out in rashes!"

"Whatever, go along," Tenten shooed Ino away, "I'll be fine by myself."

As Ino left, Tenten caught sight of another familiar face, "SHIKAMARU!" she yelled from across the field.

Shikamaru jogged up to her, panting wildly as he did- a little too wildly.

"Have you… have you seen Sasuke?" he asked, "I need to look for him."

"I think he just left for the carpark," Tenten replied a little worried, "been running about a lot?"

"YES, I've been looking for him," Shikamaru exclaimed, "which floor would he be at?"

"Top, if I'm not wrong."

Shikamaru's eyes widened in response and he repeated Tenten's words: "Top? Of course! All the more dramatic I see. Ok, thanks. Um good luck."

And he left in the direction of the carpark.

It took him a while before he reached the top and when he did, it was already ten- the relay has already started. He spotted Sasuke in a distance, sitting on the hood of one of the few cars. Without him noticing, Shikamaru hid behind the nearest car and quickly surveyed the area. It seems that the only people on this level were the two of them.

Orochimaru would be coming any moment.

* * *

It took Gaara a while to realize that Temari's taking way too long to change out of her gym clothes. Its been over half and hour. He's been patient with her reasoning that she might've gone to take a dump or she's just piling on the make up. But forty-five minutes in the toilet to do all those was too damn long.

"Temari?" Gaara called from outside the ladies, "Temari?"

There wasn't a reply.

He cautiously opened the bathroom door and looked around the empty toilet; Temari's definitely not there. He doesn't know how long it has been but she could be far away now. Gaara dispatched some of the guards and decided it would be wise to warn Shikamaru about it.

The phone rang for several minutes without Shikamaru picking up. Looks like he'd be looking for Temari by himself.

* * *

Temari rushed through the school gates in time for the commencement of the big relay. The first runners had just left the starting line and were on their way to the second station. She had no time to lose. She knew the course of the relay wound about the entire school and the only way she would get to the car park before the seventh runner started would be to cut through the course.

So she did.

She made her way though the schoolyard and across the garden, through the basketball and tennis courts to reach the car park building.

Along the way, she thought of what she'd do when she got there. She doesn't know yet. She doesn't even know why she's doing this- foiling Shikmaru's plan like that. She suspected she felt upset that he wouldn't trust her abilities and at the same time hoped that she would talk him out of it before he did anything rash that they might regret.

When she ran past the basketball court, she realized that where the eighth station was. Orochimaru would be there. He would think her suspicious if she just ran across. So before she appeared in front the seventh station, she held her camera in her hands intending to act as if it was part of her routine to pass the eighth station and photograph the contestants.

She smiled as she walked onto the basketball court. Immediately, Temari caught sight of Neji preparing himself to run by doing stretches and exercises. She waved at him and continued to photograph the others. As she did so, she kept reminding herself to take her time and not rush things through, she also tried her best to avoid all sorts of eye contact with Orochimaru who sat on one end of the court.

But she felt it, she felt Orochimaru staring her down. He must've suspected her.

She only stayed there for a few minutes before leaving the place and once out of sight, she sprinted towards the car park.

* * *

"Last students of the relay!" Professor Kumamoto called from the loud hailer, "in view of the cloudy weather, please help speed things up by reporting to the ninth station and helping your friends drag the container here! Please get going!"

The students made a dash for the car park, where the ninth person of the relay waited. Tenten had a head start and sprinted like there was no tomorrow knowing that Sasuke would be on the highest, most inaccessible floor.

She had to get there quickly enough to help him and light the bonfire first.

* * *

Shortly after Temari left, the first of the seventh runners made it to the eighth station. Realising that Orochimaru wasn't present to monitor them, most participants made a false start just to save time. It wasn't long before Neji set off quickly catching up with the forerunners.

* * *

"Zabuza," Orochimaru called as he ran up to them, "which way?"

"Top floor," Zabuza replied, "we have to hurry; I sense the other runners are catching up."

* * *

"Sasuke!" Temari yelled as she came to the top floor, "where's Shikamaru?"

Sasuke ran up to Temari, shocked by her appearance, "he's not-"

"TEMARI?" Shikamaru emerged from behind the car, "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON A SHIP!"

"What?" Sasuke asked, confused with the current situation, "I'm not following."

"YOU LIED TO ME SHIKAMARU!" Temari argued back, "WHY? I TOLD YOU TO STOP PLAYING HERO ALL THE TIME!"

Sasuke nodded and stepped back, "this sounds dramatic; I should keep out of this…"

"FUCK!"

The three of them turned towards the sound and saw Neji pulling up Orochimaru from behind the car.

"Oh shit," Sasuke muttered, his hand against his neck, "he shot me!"

"What?" Shikamaru examined the wound and noticed a needle-like dart sticking out of Sasuke's neck, "take it out. I think it's a poison dart."

"Damn it!" Neji said, pulling Orochimaru out of his hiding spot, "he was taking aim when I saw him and I hit him, but he must've shot Sasuke!"

Neji was about to drop Orochimaru and attend to his brother but Zabuza appeared behind him and tackled him causing his to release Orochimaru. Quickly enough, Orochimaru got up and made his way to the three of them. Sasuke was on his knees, weak and cringing from the pain on his neck. Shikamaru and Temari attempted to help Sasuke up but Orochimaru grabbed Temari by the arm and pulled her away.

"You're coming with us," he commanded fiercely, "ZABUZA!"

"LET GO OF HER DAMN IT!" Shikamaru lunged forward and punched Orochimaru in the face sending him staggering back with Temari in one arm; he wouldn't let go.

"FUCK! LET HER GO!" Shikamaru went forward and gave Orochimaru another blow to the face.

Finally, he released his grip on Temari. It only took seconds for Temari to regain stability and when she did Shikamaru pulled her to the stairs and demanded she run away.

"GO DAMN IT! GO!" Shikamaru yelled as he tried to push her away.

"What about you?" Temari asked desperately, "he's going to-"

"We were wrong," Shikamaru cried, tears starting to form in his eyes, "he never wanted Sasuke, he want… he wanted you. Temari please, go! The sixth floor, there's an elevator, take it and once your down run as far away as you can… I can't think properly… just-"

"GET BACK HERE!" Orochimaru screamed as he tried to push Shikamaru aside.

"GO!" Shikamaru yelled as he gave Temari on finally push sending her running, as fast as she could, down the stairs.

He spun around and grabbed Orochimaru by the arm, "GET THE FUCK OFF!"

Shikamaru pushed Orochimaru's lean body away from his sending him further from the stairs and further from Temari. Orochimaru tried to register help from Zabuza but he was struggling to get away from Neji.

* * *

As Temari ran out of the stairs and towards the elevator on the sixth floor, she missed Tenten who was making her way to the top floor.

When she got there, she was shocked to see two fights- one between Shikamaru and Orochimaru and the other between Neji and Zabuza.

Her heart skipped a beat, she didn't know what to do. She yearns to help Neji but Shikamaru looks like he needs help too. Then she caught sight of Sasuke, struggling along the car park walls to the stairs. She rushed to him expecting an explanation.

"Sasuke!" she eagerly grabbed him by the arm, "what happened?"

"Tenten?" his voice came out coarse and weak, "run away, this place is dangerous."

There was loud thud, both Sasuke and Tenten shift their attention to the source of the sound and saw Neji lying against the windshield of a car. Zabuza dusted his hands and prepared to walk away, but Neji wasn't going to let him to, he needed to stall time for Temari to escape. Neji bravely leapt from the car and latched onto Zabuza's wide back, his arms tied around Zabuza's neck and his legs kicking Zabuza's thighs.

"Neji!" Sasuke yelled, he tried to move towards Neji but the poison was eating him up, he turned to Tenten, "Tenten, go, Neji wouldn't want you here. GO!"

She didn't know what to do, she can always seek help but surely all the other contestants on the other floors have already left the building to the bonfire. She knew she had to help, but she was certain a battle against those two would be futile for her. Heck, Neji was struggling with Zabuza and Shikamaru is beaten half dead by Orochimaru. Sasuke told her to leave, those were his words and as immoral it is sounds, she knew he was right; she knew that her presence here would only be more of a burden. The best thing she can do was to ran away and get help. It would be hard because the nearest help is not but the bonfire.

As she released Sasuke from her grasp and headed for the stairs to get help, she watched as Zabuza flung Neji to the ground. Neji screamed in agony as he felt his ribs cracking, as much as he wanted to, Neji couldn't get up and fight back. They watched as Zabuza turned to the can of fuel, ready to pour some over Neji.

Tenten couldn't bear to watch the scene and before Zabuza had the chance to cover Neji with fuel, she pounced on to him, pushing him away from Neji.

Zabuza fell to the side and Tenten rolled a few feet away from him. The can of fuel, thrown into the air, came falling on Tenten as the contents showered her. There wasn't anytime to react and before she knew it, Tenten suffered a stinging sensation in her eyes. She screamed the most agonizing scream the three have ever heard.

Tenten frantically felt around for anything that could elevate the pain, she couldn't open her eyes; she was blinded. It felt as though her eyelids have melted against her eyeballs and her eye sockets were sizzling with acid. She groaned and moaned, fingers scratching against the granite floor of the car park in efforts to seize the pain.

Sasuke could only watch, his legs failing him as they gave way to the effects of the poison. Neji flinched from his position in efforts to get closer to Tenten, however, with every movement he made, he could literally heard the grinding and crumbling of his bones and the tearing of his flesh. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a puddle of blood forming next to his body- he's bleeding.

Orochimaru had knocked Shikamaru unconscious moments after Tenten was hit. The two criminals stepped back and examined their work, pleased with the outcome but dissatisfied for not having achieved their goal. Just as Orochimaru was about to leave down the stairs with Zabuza, he caught sight of the motionless Sasuke leaning against the wall. Sasuke shot him a death glare that caused his Sharingan to be activated. A smile stretched cross Orochimaru's face she he witnessed the boy's eye turn red.

"That's the one," Orochimaru muttered beckoning to Sasuke, "Zabuza, get him!"

* * *

"Temari? TEMARI!" Ino leapt up and down from the school field as she saw Temari emerge from a distance.

Almost the bonfires were lit and there's fire everywhere. Temari ran towards them and collapsed in the middle of the field in front of the whole school. Ino, Hinata and Sakura ran up to her.

"Temari?" Sakura felt her pulse, "breath, breath, what happened? You're heart rate is beating too fast!"

Temari heaved a few large breaths to compose herself, her face was flushed and flustered, her legs were worn from all the run and her mind was in a mess.

"Help… help them," she said in between breaths, "Shikamaru, Neji and Sasuke need help!"

"What?" Sakura asked, puzzled, "what happened?"

"There were attacked, PLEASE, SEND HELP! NOW!" Temari screamed as she got up on her two feet, "SOMEONE HELP THEM!"

The whole field broke out in a commotion as the students and teacher alike quickly hurried over to the car park to comprehend what Temari had just said.

Temari watched everyone around her jump into a state of pure panic. There were people everywhere, the crowd of amazing, all around her, she could see red, orange and yellow fires burning in the air. It was hot, tight, exciting and nervous, her heart was wrenched her and mind ablaze. It felt like hell.

"Where's Tenten?" Hinata asked anxiously.

Temari's eyes widened, "what? Tenten? She went there?"

Without a reply from the girls, Temari spun around to gaze back at where she came from. She wanted to return to the car park, she wanted to help Tenten and Shikamaru so badly, but she couldn't. Returning would only mean victory for Orochimaru. She needed to get out of here.

"TENTEN!" she screamed, tears flowing from her eyes spontaneously, "TENTEN! I'M SO SORRY! I'M SO SORRY TEN!"

"Temari," Ino took her camera from her, "calm down."

Temari faced the three girls in front of her and realized what she has to do. Orochimaru is going to find her and if she's with these girls, they would never be safe.

"I have to go," Temari said pushing past them.

They tried to stop her but the crowd was too massive and soon, she disappeared from their sight.

Temari made her way to the first aid tent where Sakura kept her things and ransacked her bag for the keys to the jeep. Once she got it, she took whatever money Sakura had and ran as fast as her legs could take her to the jeep parked just outside the school.

She was about to leave before she thought of someone that would definitely be able to help her. It was a risk she had to take. She turned around and returned to the school. It was empty for everyone was busy flocking to the car park.

Temari quietly made her way into the principal's office and searched through the employee's files. Kakashi's one had to be somewhere. It wasn't with the particulars of the other teachers. Temari looked through the drawers of Tsunade's desk until she reached a drawer that was locked. She tried to force it open but it wouldn't nudge.

But she isn't going to give up yet.

The digital lock has a six number combination.

"But what six numbers?" she desperately thought, "it's times like these that I wish I were a code breaker… like Shiho."

She spotted Tsunade's briefcase in a distance and went through it took fetch out her wallet. Inside, she found Tsunade's identity card.

"Her birthday, cliché, but worth giving a go," Temari entered Tsunade's birthday into the lock, "come on, come on…"

_DENIED_

"Damn it!" she cursed, "address!"

_DENIED_

"Phone numer?"

_DENIED_

"First day in office?"

_DENIED_

"FUCK!" she gave the draw a huge kick, "damn it. I'll just have to force it open."

She surveyed the room for any object that might be a suitable tool to open the drawer and on Tsunade's desk, she spotted a gun. Hesitantly, she picked it up and with shaking hands; she aimed it towards the latch of the drawer and shut her eyes tightly before pulling the trigger. The force sent her stumbling backwards and the drawer sprang open.

Overjoyed, she filed through the contents of the drawing finding files and files of newspaper clippings and maps. Finally she found Kakashi's folder and was about to leave the office when something else caught her eye: Inside on of the files in the locked drawer contained a news paper write up on the case of the Kazekage's missing daughter.

She didn't have much time to spare, so Temari took out everything in the drawer slot it into Tsunade's briefcase and left the school.

* * *

Orochimaru and Zabuza escaped in time to avoid the massive crowd coming for them from the school field. Once far enough, Orochimaru whipped out his phone and called Haku, another of his acquaintance to help him get a job done.

"There's a girl," Orochimaru demanded when Haku answered the phone, "blond hair, and blue eyes. She's carrying a camera. She lives on 5th Sakurajima Avenue. Get her."

* * *

"TENTEN!" Ino screamed as she saw the limp body of Tenten laying on the car park floor, "OH MY GOD. TENTEN! WAKE UP!"

Tsunade pushed her way through the crowd to find three of her students lying motionless on the ground. Shikamaru and Tenten were unconscious and Neji immobile.

She rushed towards Neji demanding to know who's involved in this, all Neji did was cough out blood into Tsunade's hands.

The three were immediately brought to the hospital for treatment with no one allowed to follow, not even Ino, Hinata and Sakura. Sakura frantically searched the area for Sasuke, calling his mobile every few minutes and asking every person that passed her if they saw Sasuke. Hinata and Ino were busy trying to contact Temari knowing that she would be the only person that could explain what happened to the three of them.

"What did she mean by 'I have to go'?" Ino demanded as the two were in a taxi back home, "are you sure she might be at home?"

"Where else can she go?" Hinata asked, "she can't go to Suna, that's… that's just impossible."

The cad stopped outside their house and the girls quickly got off to see if Temari is actually home. However, before they could venture any further, a masked man stopped them. The two girls tried to retreat into the taxi seeing this man as a potential threat, but the taxi had long driven away.

"Blond hair, blues eyes and…" he pointed to the camera Ino hung around her neck, "a camera… you're my target."

"What?" Ino squeaked, "get away from me or I'll scream."

"Hm," the masked man took out a razor and directed it to Hinata, "get away _with_ me or _she'll_ scream… _in pain_."

Seeing that she had no choice but to give into the man's wishes, Ino relented and entered the black car next to her. Hinata shook her head violent to tell Ino not to, but it didn't work, Ino wasn't going to risk Hinata's life on her account. Never.

"Take out your phone," the man commanded Hinata.

Obediently, she did.

"Drop it on the floor."

Hinata released her phone in mid air. When the phone laid randomly on the ground, the man gave the phone a very heavy stamp, crushing the phone and rendering it complete obsolete. He kept his knife, reentered the car and left with Ino.

Hinata screamed.

* * *

Sai was about to enter the operating room when he received a call from Hinata.

"Hello Hinata? I'm afraid I have to go soon, I'm-"

"Ino has been kidnapped."

"What?"

"SOMEONE TOOK INO AWAY!"

Sai was quiet for a while; he didn't know what to do. A suffocating feeling washed over him and he felt so compressed and rushed.

"SAI! INO'S GONE! I NEED YOUR HELP!"

"Where was she?"

* * *

She stopped twenty blocks fro school in the car park of a local mall. Anxiously, she dialed Kakashi's phone number and listened to the ringing of the phone.

"Kakashi, pick up, pick up…" Temari prayed, "Kakashi… damn it…"

"Hello?"

"KAKASHI?" Temari called out relieved, "is that you?"

"Temari?" Kakashi asked clearly shocked, "how'd you get this number?"

"I really need your help Kakashi," she begged as she looked around the car park for any sign of danger, "Orochimaru is coming for me, I have nowhere to hide and no one to help me! I can't go back to my brother because Orochimaru would be expecting me to go back, he'll be at the dock waiting for me… please. Help me."

"Calm down Temari," Kakashi said, "where are you?"

"Sunset Mall," she whispered.

"Ok, Anko's coming," Kakashi instructed, "is anyone with you?"

"No, it's just me."

"Ok, good. How did you get there? Do you know if anyone followed you?"

"I drove here, I made sure no one was following me."

"Leave the jeep behind… We're coming to get you soon Temari, don't worry.

"Don't worry."

* * *

"Hinata!" Sai yelled, frantically knocking on the front door of the house, "HINATA!"

She answered the door with tear washed face, "Sai! I didn't know who else to call… everything's just so… all over the place…"

Sai ignored the girl and entered the house for someway of contacting Ino. He tried to call her earlier but the call was cut off half way. He suspected the kidnapper took her phone away from her. Now there's nothing to track her with. No security cameras, no prints… no nothing!

Sai was _anxious_.

"DAMN IT HINATA!" Sai _yelled_ at the helpless girl, "WHY DID YOU LET HER GO?"

"I couldn't stop her! I had no choice," Hinata whimpered timidly taken aback by Sai's burst of _anger_, "she decided it."

Sai wanted to murder Hinata. She could've done something, anything! Ino would've still been safe. If he went for sports day he would've sent Ino home and if he did, she wouldn't be gone. There was a biting feeling about his body; its irritating him and making him feel sick. He knew there was something he could've done.

"What's that sound?" Sai asked Hinata looking about the room, "I heard something."

"There's no one else other than Pochi and I," Hinata cried.

"Pochi?" Sai asked.

"Temari's pet weasel," Hinata said, "he's probably curled up somewhere in Ino's clothing."

"A weasel?"

An idea flashed in Sai's mind.

"Bring me the weasel."

* * *

"Neji," Sakura held his hand, "please wake up, please tell me how I can find Sasuke and Temari…"

It's been an hour since Neji was treated and put to rest. Up till then, he has woken. The doctors told them that Neji was mostly fine except for the several cracked ribs and scars that were mendable. Shikamaru was perhaps the most fortunate of the three having only suffered minor bruises and cuts from the fight with the less physically threatening Orochimaru. However, the doctors have been stressing over Tenten's case of the past hour. They concluded that she passed out from all the pain from the diesel spill but were trying to figure out what effects it had on her eyes. The surgeons laid out that a possible plastic surgery would be required to fix the burns on Tenten's skin and the till she wakes up, they are unable to properly diagnose her.

"Hinata," Sakura called the house a few moments later, "Hinata? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Hinata broke the heart breaking news of Ino to Sakura and assured her that she and Sai were doing all they can to search for her. The police have been notified and they have dispatched many search parties around the area to look for Ino but to no avail so far.

Coupled with the car park incident, this new came as too much of a shock for Sakura to respond accordingly. She didn't know whether she has the physical capacity to cry anymore, the emotional ability to be concerned much further or the mental stamina to properly accept this reality.

"Why is this happening?" Sakura muttered, "why… all this?"

Her knees buckled and she fell on the floor with a soft thump. The people around her ran up to help to check if she was alright but she didn't react to anything and just stared blankly ahead. The phone slipped from her weakening fingers and crashed onto the floor, she still didn't do anything other than stare. Sakura didn't want to think of anything, neither did she want to accept the reality that her boyfriend is missing, her childhood friend has been kidnapped, her best friend is half dead in the hospital and Temari is missing- it was just too damn surreal. Uncontrollably, water quickly formed on the brim of her eyes and collected in to large drops of tears.

This just isn't happening.

Tsunade rushed through the hospital doors and went towards Sakura.

"Where's Temari?" she demanded, refusing to acknowledge the girl's broken state, "WHERE THE FUCK IS TEMARI?"

"I don't know," Sakura murmured, "I wish I knew."

Tsunade had returned to her office to check the survillence in the car park, however, she found her office in a mess and the drawer in which she kept all the important documents and research pertaining the book was opened and empty.

After watching the survillence, she realized it was Temari that did it. To add on to her mountain of problems, the footage she originally came to retrieve is missing.

Panic-stricken, Tsunade trudged into Shikamaru's ward to find an unconscious Shikamaru. She figured that if Sakura doesn't know where Temari is, the other girls wouldn't and her next best option is Shikamaru.

"Tell me when he wakes up," Tsuande instructed the nurse by his side, "remember that."

As she paced out of the ward deep in thought, Kurenai and Asuma raced up to her.

"Tsunade!" Kurenai said in a hushed tone, "we've found evidence."

Tsunade's eyes brighten up upon hearing Kurenai's words, she quickly surveyed the area analyzing who was around before pulling the two teachers to a quieter and more deserted corner of the hospital.

"We've found the men that made the business transaction with the Akatsuki," Kurenai explained, "the one with the Statue of David, Kawasaki's men?"

"Oh yes," Tsunade remembered the case of the missing Statue of David which was concluded with Kawasaki being thief of the statue, "they wouldn't believe us when we suspected it was the Akatsuki. So you've found the men?"

"Yes," Asuma replied, "we have locked down on their location. They're very hard to find after disappearing when Kawasaki got convicted. They won't stand a chance."

Tsunade nodded, "when we piece all the evidence we've gathered and present it to the authorities, it will be it for them."

Unbeknownst to them, around the corner stood a very silent Sakura listening in on all the three had to say. She suspected Tsunade's behavior from when she trudged in and started enquiring about Temari is such a nervous fashion. Hoping to learn something about either Temari or Sasuke, she secretly followed them, however, she learnt more than she had expected to.

"We've tracked down Temari's jeep," Asuma added, breaking the silence between the three of them.

Sakura's ears perked up upon hearing this.

"It's in the car park of Sunset Mall," Asuma said, "but it's abandoned, we can't find any of your documents in it."

"Are you sure you've searched the Jeep thoroughly enough?" Tsunade asked hurriedly.

Asuma only nodded in response.

"Where is she now?" Tsunade probed with much force, "where is she?"

There was a look of regret on Asuma's face, "Temari was picked up on a black Mercedes minutes after she arrived at Sunset Mall," he paused and looked at Tsunade, "the driver of the car was Mitarashi Anko."

"…Anko?" Tsuande repeated, "Kakashi's Anko?"

"Yes."

Tsunade rubbed her temples and almost fell against the floor when she realized the implication of Temari being with Anko. For a moment she thought she had the upper hand over the Akatsuki, however, hearing this news, she thinks her opponent might have strengthened their defenses.

Temari is with Anko.

Temari is also with Kakashi.

Kakashi is allied with the Akatsuki.

Temari is also allied with the Akatsuki.

"Tsunade are you alright?" Kurenai held on tightly to Tsunade preventing her from falling, "Tsunade?"

"Kurenai… Asuma…" Tsunade stammered, "we really have to _kill_ the Akatsuki… Kakashi… Anko and… Temari."

"What?" Kurenai gasped.

"Every single one of them."

* * *

Sakura ran as soon as she heard Tsunade's final words. It was all too much for her to take. She couldn't believe that Tsunade was actually determined to kill her friends. She could never believe it. But she had to; Tsunade said it herself- 'every single one of them'.

It gave her to chills and triggered an array of emotions within her, as much as she wanted to cry, she knew it was of no use. If she wanted to save Temari and everyone else, she has to pull it together and stop being such a wimp.

"What do I do now?" Sakura thought in the middle of the hallway, "Temari… Ino… Sasuke…"

"_Tell me when he wakes up, remember that."_

"Shikamaru!"

She ran to his ward in hopes of seeing him awake, after all, his injuries were the least severe among the three. Her hopes crashed as soon as she saw him inactive on the bed with his eyes closed and his heart rate below average. She must be there when he wakes up, she must tell him not to tell Tsunade anything.

She stood by Shikamaru's bed and watched him resting peacefully. From the corner of her eye, she spotted a blinking light on Shikamaru's phone. She picked it up and checked what it was.

_One miss call from Sabaku No Gaara_

"GAARA!" she cried in her eureka moment, "he can help!"

* * *

"You were supposed to be the fourth keeper," Pein explained to Temari once she came to their secret hideout, "he believes you would be able to read the cryptexts as the person who made the code came from Suna."

"But he took Sasuke instead," Temari said, "because finding the cryptext is his first job."

Temari took out all the documents she found in Tsunade's secret folder and laid it out for Gaara, "she had this in a locker drawer in her office. It's about the Kazekage's missing daughter, me. Why would she keep this?"

Pein and Kakashi looked through the other documents and found any articles about the missing daughter and a few articles about the assassination of Konoha's then Education Minister.

"_Riyo dies in a brutal assassination out Rysuke Road_," Kakashi read, "what has this got to do with anything?"

"I know that lady," Sasori said as he stepped into the room, "That lady's Granny Chiyo."

The three looked at him expecting him to elaborate more.

"When I was young she took care of me, she was the Royal Toymaker for the Kazekage's children because she made the best puppets in the country," Sasori explained, "but she went missing after the war."

"Riyo is Chiyo?" Kakashi said to himself, "Riyo's from Suna…" he looked at the three others, "you don't think?"

"That she's the one that brought me to Konoha when I was a child?" Temari asked, "she _does_ look rather familiar… and my foster parents lived on Rysuke road. That's why they found me."

Pein eagerly pointed to an extract in the newspaper article commemorating Riyo's death, "_Education Minister Riyo contributed much to Konoha's education scene. During her time, she setup the four great Konoha schools- Konoha North, Konoha East, Konoha South and Konoha West. Shortly after the opening of the last school, a statue of Riyo was erected at Central Park as a reminder to the coming generations of the contributions this woman has made. Today, millions around gathered and placed flowers before the glorious statue to pay respect for the passing of such a great woman._"

Kakashi sighed, "no wonder he wanted you," he told Temari, "you were the last person she came in contact with before she was killed. You might hold the key to finding the book."

"But I don't know _anything_ about the book!" Temari insisted, "I don't even know how to read my own country's language! How am I supposed to know about this book?"

"That's true," Kakashi said, "well then, Temari, for the time being, you should remain here," he smiled at her, "we know Orochimaru's looking for you so you can't leave."

"What about my friends?"

"They'll have to live with you gone."

* * *

"INO!" he screamed as he brisk walked around the area, "INO!"

Although very unorthodox, he decided to use Pochi as a 'tracker weasel' to track Ino down by scent. So far, he's been following Pochi through the neighborhood, shouting Ino's name and going up to any stranger and asking if they had seen Ino around but all this effort to no avail. Sai doesn't know if Pochi is actually following Ino's scent or just roaming around, he hasn't found anyone who've seen Ino or the black car she was in nor has he received any calls from Hinata assuring him of Ino's safety.

All this while he is also experiencing an intensive internal struggle. He can't help but feel suffocated by all these reactions his body, mind and soul is having to this search. It's all new to him and he doesn't know any other way of dealing with it than to just live with it.

"INO!"

* * *

"THAT'S NOT THE GIRL!" Orochimaru yelled through the videophone, "SHE'S THE WRONG ONE!"

"But she fits your description perfectly," Haku retorted defensively, "its not my fault another blond haired, blue eyed girl lives in the same house! What do I do with her now?"

"LET ME GO!" Ino screamed as she tried to shake herself free from the ropes that bound her to a wooden chair, "LET ME GO PLEASE! WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH TEMARI?"

"We can't let her go now," Orochimaru said having listened to Ino's cries, "she knows our plans. Leave her be. She'll die in a few days…"

"NO. I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" Ino cried in desperation, her tears soaked the cloth that covered her eyes, "please…" she whimpered, "please… I don't want to die."

There was silence.

"Hello?" she called out with no reply, "HELLO? NO DON'T GO AWAY!"

She shook her chair as vigorously as she could but it didn't move an inch. The ropes that tied her limbs to the chair never loosened and the cloth over her eyes wouldn't fall off. She has been tied up for so long and struggling for much longer, it wore her out and she couldn't do it much longer even if her life mattered. All the screaming and shouting she did to gain attention didn't work, nobody came so far and her voice was getting hoarse, soon enough, she wouldn't be able to speak.

It hasn't been over an hour and she's already starving and thirsty but knowing her captors, she wasn't going to get any food or water; they were just going to let her whither away. And along with her physical strength, her spirit did to. She tried to think of other possible ways of escaping this place- none came to her.

"I bet Temari or Sakura would mind zap their way out of here," she thought, depressed, "Tenten would never give up trying and Hinata… she would be good company. Oh how I miss them… and Sai. Oh dear Sai! I haven't taught you about the ways enough yet… who would help you? I haven't told you how much you mean to me and how you make me feel so damn important and precious all the time."

"Sai…" she murmured, "help me."

* * *

Zabuza tossed Sasuke's body into the underground dungeon in Orochimaru's lair. Sasuke struggled a little to push himself up and prop his back against the walls to analyze his surroundings, but he needn't analyze for too long for he heard an all too familiar voice.

"SASUKE?"

It took him a while to identify who that voice belonged to but it eventually came to him and it was then he realized how long it has been since Karin went missing. Now he knows what happened to her because the same fate is bestowed on him as well.

"Karin?" he replied in a weak voice as he crawled to the metal grails to find her.

He found her pressed against the metal grails of the opposite cell, she was filthy and a mess and her eyes were filled with lethargy and dreadfulness.

"He chose you," Karin murmured, shocked and horrified at the same time, "he chose you as the fourth keeper… how could I have not seen that coming?"

"Fouth keeper?" Sasuke asked, "what? Where am I? What happened to you?"

It took Karin a while to explain it to Sasuke and with each passing information, Sasuke's eyes only grew wider and wider. He never knew such a book existed neither did he know how he is going to find it to be released. It startled him would be an understatement, but seeing the state Karin is in and where he is now, there isn't any other way of assuring him that this is more of a reality than he hoped it is.

"What do we do now?" Sasuke asked after Karin finished explaining, "we have to look for these… cryptexts?"

Karin nodded, "that's the only way of getting the antidote to reverse the effects of the chemical Orochimaru pumped into us."

Sasuke vaguely recall Zabuza holding him down on an operating table while Orochimaru injected a greenish chemical into his arm with a giant syringe. He can't escape this.

"Karin?" came a soft hoarse voice.

Instantly, Karin shifted to the very corner of her cell and stuck her hand between the metal bars in efforts to reach the cell next to hers.

"Suigetsu," Karin replied urgently, "I'm here, I'm here. Orochimaru got us. I'm so sorry."

"FUCK!" Suigetsu yelled.

"We have to find the cryptext, it's the only way."

"Juugo!" Suigetsu called out to the man in the opposite cell, "is that true? There is no choice?"

Juugo nodded.

"Now that the four of you are awake," Orochimaru appeared in the walkway between the cells, "lets brief you guys on the matter we're about to engage in."

The four remained silent although they were very conflicted on the inside. It has finally dawned on them that there is no escaping this plight, Suigetsu and Karin have tried countless of times and it has, so far, resulted in nothing good.

"Why can't you go look for it yourself?" Sasuke asked calmly.

"It's hard when you're not a student in that school," Orochimaru said, "Juugo and Karin, your transfers have already been approved by the government. You'll be 'returning' to high school in Konoha South High and Konoha East High respectively.

"Tomorrow we'll start this battle," Oorchimaru said, "go back and find my cryptexts. When you find it, pass it to me and only then will you get your antidote. Without it, your body will start to disintegrate upon my command, so you better listen."

"I don't even know where the fuck to look!" Suigetsu muttered.

Orochimaru turned to face him and walked up to Suigetsu's cell, "that's what I am going to help you with.

"The cryptext was originally from Sunakagure," Orochimaru stated, "it was brought to Konoha before the war started and hidden in a secret location, the location of the place written in the four cryptexts and then separated in the four schools. That's all."

There was a moment of silence as everyone in the room tried to process whatever information has been thrown at them. It didn't say much or helped them with finding the cryptext, but that was all the information they have got so far.

As Orochimaru started to walk away, Karin stopped him.

"That isn't helping us!" Karin yelled from her cell.

"Then that's too bad," Orochimaru said his back facing the four of them, "cryptexts, tomorrow."

* * *

It has been hours since Sai started looking and Ino was nowhere in sight. The streets are clearing and the sky has already turned dark. Pochi is still wandering around with his nose to the ground trying to sniff Ino out. Hinata called multiple times but all was to check up on his progress.

Sai stopped and looked around finally deciding that its no use relying on a weasel. He doesn't know where he is and he doesn't know if he's getting closer to Ino or not.

"Pochi," Sai walked next to the creature, "it's late. We can't find her. Let's go."

As he started to walk away, he noticed that the creature isn't following him closely behind, instead, Pochi was seated in front of an old, desolate house.

"Pochi?"

The weasel made no move.

Sai walked up to the house and pointed to the door, "she's in here Pochi?"

The weasel did, what seemed to Sai, a nod of the head.

He lifted his hand to knock to the door before deciding that her captors wouldn't be particularly civilized in greeting him. So Sai ran to the windows at the side and peeped into the house. It was pitch black inside and he could vaguely make out the outlines of some furniture. What made Sai suspicious about the vacancy of the house was the thick layer of dust on the window ledge. He doubted this would be here if the house was occupied.

He tired to open the door this time and to his surprise, it casually swung open. Agiley, Sai walked into the house, wary of his surroundings. Pochi scurried in and headed into towards the kitchen. Sai quickly followed behind, not losing sight of Pochi. Once inside the kitchen, Pochi stopped at a spot and started clawing on a particular area of the floor. Sai tore off the curtains in the window to allow some light from the moon and the street lamps to enter the kitchen.

"Pochi?" Sai knelt next to the creature and observed as it tried to scratch its way through the wooden floorboards, "is… Ino underneath?"

Pochi only continued to scratch without stopping.

Sai knocked the surface of the wood and heard an empty resonance. It hollow; there's a secret base underground. He looked around the kitchen for a trap door of some sort but there was none. He had to break the wood. At the corner of the kitchen he spotted a huge toolbox, there was no time to waste, Sai ran for it and took out an axe.

He pushed Pochi aside and with one swift motion sent the axe running through the layer of wood. It took Sai several tries before he actually managed to create a hole large enough for him to enter. He peeped into the hole and shone a torchlight around the secret base. Turns out it was a bomb shelter and could be access by stairs from the storage room.

Sai jumped down and without a moment's delay spotted Ino tied up in a corner. His heart skipped a beat and he ran up to her as soon as his legs allowed him to.

She was still but breathing. He gave a sigh of relief. It overwhelmed him all these feelings surging through him, it filled his eyes and sent streams of water flowing down his cheeks.

"Ino," he murmured as he untied the cloth around her eyes, "Ino…"

He quickly undid the ropes around her arms and legs and freed her from the chair.

"Ino, wake up!" he said as he stroked her cheeks, "please."

She stirred and her eyes inched open, "Sai? Oh my god, it's you. Sai. You're crying," she smiled, "you're crying."

Sai touched his own face and felt the tears, "I guess I am."

"You have emotions."

* * *

"TENTEN!" a woman rushed into the ward and hurried to Tenten's side, "doctor! What's going to happen to my daughter?"

The doctor shook his head, "we're not sure, but Miss Ten suffered multiple acid burns and it seems it came in contact with her eyes, I'm not sure what would happen. But we do hypothesize…"

"What?" Tenten's mother asked urgently, "hypothesize what?"

"That she might be blind."

Mrs Ten's eyes widened, "blind?" she repeated, disbelieved, "you're saying my daughter will go… blind?"

The doctor only nodded.

She fell on her eyes and wailed so loudly the other patients in the ward woke from their sleep. The doctor tried to calm her down but she wouldn't stop crying for her poor daughter.

"Why?" she moaned, "why her?"

Neji laid awake from the moment Tenten's mother entered the ward. He heard her cries and couldn't help but recall how Tenten got into such a state.

"She tried to save me," Neji thought, "save me from this."

He shifted and faced Tenten's bed. That night, he couldn't sleep properly. He listened to the cries of Tenten's mother and he watched Tenten sleep wondering if she might ever see him again.

* * *

"She's with Kakashi, Anko and the Akatsuki," Sakura explained over the phone, "Gaara, all I'm asking is that you contact her and tell her not to communicate with Shikamaru. Please. Don't tell he what has happened to him."

"Are you sure she's perfectly fine in their hands?" he asked slightly worried.

"Yes, fine, I trust Kakashi sensei," Sakura said, "please, I know you're the only one that can get through to her."

When they hung up, Sakura went to the kitchen to get a drink. Hinata was sleeping on the sofa; she was waiting for Ino return, but it's already so late and there hasn't been news from Sai.

The doorbell rang, it shocked Sakura and woke Hinata. Anxious to see if it was Sai with news of Ino, Sakura ran up to the door and without hesitation opened it to reveal Sai with Ino lying in his arms.

"This little guy found her," Sai said beckoning to Pochi, "she's asleep now.

"Sound asleep."

* * *

A/N: THAT'S CHAPTER 23 WITH 79 PAGES ON MICROSOFT! I've been writing this for weeks. If you noticed, I had this separated into 2 parts- I originally wanted to write only part one for chapter 23 and leave part 2 for chapter 24 but I thought it would be rather unfair to you guys since I've been missing in action for 2 years! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I tried to be as concise as I could about all the details but it's been 2 years since I've last written, I can't remember much! Anyway, I wish you a (very advanced) Merry Christmas!

I'll be starting on chapter 24 soon! Don't you worry!

Hello dearest _**Guest**_ reviewer,

You said I suck at chapter 22. Why go through all that trouble to read the fic when you think I suck? Haha. I hope you meant I suck in a good way? Please explain next time you give such a vague review. Thank you very much.


	24. Episode Twenty Four: Let's Go

A/N: I think this chapter is rather disappointing. There's nothing much going on and there's no fluffy mushy scene that some of you might be looking for. Well, maybe some, but not as much as the previous on. I'm working on injecting more NaruHina into the story (I'm just fucking bad at NaruHina), perhaps more of them will appear in later chapters- pinky promise. As for ShikaTema, there really isn't much I can do since they are physically apart at this point in time, but I promise, the fate of the whole thing (I'm calling it 'whole thing' cause I don't want to give too much away) would lie in the hands of Shikamaru and Temari. As the arc progresses, you'll definitely find more ShikaTema and (hopefully) more NaruHina. There's a good emphasis on NejiTen here cause of what happened to Tenten in the previous chapter. SuiKa has been toned down because there's this huge mega overdrive of it in the previous chapter. SasuSaku is rather upsetING here too because the moment they got back together, they are pulled apart (talk about starcrossed lovers) maybe you can look at their relationship as a mimicry of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet since Sakura likes Shakespeare so much (in my fanfic that is) but I really don't think that much when I do stuff like that. SaiIno appears rather frequently here relative to other SaiIno appearances in other chapters. Anyway, do people even read the A/N's? I'm thinking this would be like the 'foreword' of every book and people just skip this part going straight to the story. Comment if you do read this, I'd like to know if people even bother (cause I don't, heehee).

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

* * *

His eyes flickered open and slowly, he made out the ceiling of his room. Memories from the day before came flashing into his mind and sending his head into a whirl. So many things happened and he couldn't believe he slept soundly in the confines of his room. Shikamaru tried to get up so he can resume action, first he needed to track Temari down; she ran off alone yesterday and quite obviously not to-

"Hm…"

He glanced at the thing pinning his arm down onto the bed and was astounded to discover Temari's dirty blond locks in a messy array on the pillow next to him. Gingerly, he pulled off the blanket covering her to find her bare sleeping form curled up on a buddle next to him.

"Temari?" he croaked in his morning hoarseness, "what happened? How'd you get here?"

"Hm…" she groaned as she moved closer to him and burying her face in the crook of his neck, "I'm tired," she murmured into his neck, "you were so rough last night."

"What? So rough? Temari-" Shikamaru stopped when he noticed how their naked bodies were both chaotically entwined with limbs running all over the bed, her arm stretched over his bare chest and her leg circled his hips, "what the fuck. Temari."

"What?" she snapped jolting up from the bed exposing her glorious upper body to his unprepared eyes, "god, you're so troublesome…" she huffed as she collapsed onto Shikamaru's chest, squirming into the most comfortable position.

"Shikamaru," she muttered as her fingers circled his abdomen, "please wake up. Please help me."

"What are you talking about?"

Temari faced him with the most serious pair of eyes, "this is a dream Shikamaru," she kissed him gently on the lips, "you're going to wake up and realize that this…" she paused, "doesn't exist."

"Yet," he grinned.

"Wake up will you?" she said caressing his face, "wake up."

* * *

"Good morning sunshine," Sai chirped as he sat on the side of Ino's bed and shook her up, "we've got work to do."

"Sai…" Ino groaned forcing herself out of bed, "I had a terrible dream that I was being kidnapped and you came to rescue me like a prince. But the best part was…"

"Was?" Sai probed smiling at her.

She was about to continue when something struck her, "what-what are you doing here?"

"I slept over sunshine," he said as he leant forward and kissed her on the cheek, "you were saying?"

Ino ignored his question and continued on her own, "slept over in the living room couch?... Why?"

"I carried you home very late last night and Sakura insisted I sleepover because it's way too dark for me to be walking home."

It took Ino a while to realize that what she thought she dreamt about wasn't actually a dream but, in fact, did actually take place yesterday. So what she was originally so excited for became a reality causing her to lung herself towards Sai and clinging tightly to him like there is no tomorrow. Sai calmly wrapped his arms around the girl and shifted her head comfortably on the crook of his neck.

"You cried Sai," Ino wept, "you damn right cried."

Sai remained silent.

"You have emotions!" she squealed, "you can properly love me now! I'm so happy! This is the BEST DAY OF MY LIFE! This-" she paused abruptly causing Sai to worry, "Sai… now that you have feelings…" she asked softly, "do you… do you really love me?"

Ino remained at her current position, unwilling to move because she doesn't want to look at Sai decide whether he loves her or not. All this while they rode on the assumption that he would've logically love her but know that he's able to truly figure that out, their assumption did not hold.

Sai pulled her away and faced her with the most earnest and worrying look in his eyes. They watched each other for a while. Sai's thumb caressed her cheeked wiping off all the tears that sprang from her eyes from all the excitement and he blew away the bits of hair that laid lazily on her face.

"Of course Ino," he finally said gently, "of course I do."

Ino, in return, heaved a sigh of relief as she pulled Sai into another hug. There they sat on her bed momentarily free from all the chaos and madness that they were thrust into. For a moment, they appreciated what was good with their lives and cared not about the missing people, the dead people and the people in trouble. Something good blossomed out of all this mess and they're going to celebrate it.

"SCHOOL!" Ino yelped out of the blue.

"It's been suspended for today," Sai said, "let's go Ino," he muttered a few moments later, "as much as I enjoy this, I can't forget that my brother is missing, your best friend is missing and three of our friends are hospitalized with critical conditions."

Regrettably, Ino pulled away and hurried into some presentable clothing before Sai drove her to the hospital where Sakura and Hinata had gone earlier that day.

When they arrived, they were shocked to find a heap load of media personnel crowded at the entrance of the hospital enquiring about Shikamaru's and Temari's whereabouts. It was so crowded, Ino and Sai had to enter from the emergency exit doors.

Despite the given circumstances, Ino could not help but grin cheerfully as she and Sai rushed through the hallways to the ward where their three friends laid. Upon entering, they found the pack of their friends gathered around Tenten's bed with pitiful faces. All joy previously present in Ino extinguished as she ran towards Tenten's hospital bed and shoved past the crowd before her. Once in front, Ino found Tenten sitting on her bed with her knees pulled to her chest and her face buried in the gap between her knees. She is crying.

"What happened," Ino asked Sakura softly careful not to disturb Tenten.

Sakura leaned towards Ino and whispered softly, "Tenten… she can't see anything."

Tears welled up in Ino's eyes in an instant and she struggled to gain composure, she knew the implications of what Sakura said but she needed to know directly, know for sure if what Sakura implied was indeed what she interpreted.

"What do you mean?" Ino stammered uncontrollably.

Sakura looked at Ino with tears just rolling down her cheeks, "Tenten… Tenten she's blind."

Ino's hands instantaneously covered her mouth for she knew the oncoming sound would be too much for the confines of the ward. She started panting loudly and struggled to gasp for air. Silently, she moved away from the crowd with Sai holding her up behind her.

This was too sudden for Ino, as dramatic as she is, Ino never could've guessed such a thing would befall anyone of them. Blindness was just too random, too unfortunate and Tenten has to live with it.

Sai ushered her out of the ward and as he did so, she noticed Shikamaru is no longer in his bed. She couldn't care less for where Shikamaru is at; all that mattered to her now was Tenten.

"Tenten…" she wailed in Sai's arms, "oh my god. Why? This can't be happening… I would trade anything, just _anything_ to get Tenten's sight back."

"We all would," Sai murmured, "she'll be fine eventually."

"She won't," Ino wailed, "she will have to learn brail, she won't be able to play soccer, play video games and she won't… won't be able to decide whether maroon or magenta is better for me!"

Sai smiled and caressed her back, "I'll decide for you."

* * *

"TEMARI!" Shikamaru yelled as he burst through the doors to his home, "TEMARI!"

When he awoke from his dream, it was already seven in the morning. He hopped out of bed hurriedly and wore his clothes. Before he left he noticed Neji was already up and he was seated next to Tenten's bed watching her. Without saying anything to him, Shikamaru fled from the hospital.

He went to the first place he thought Temari would've gone to- his house.

"TEMARI?" he called out as he entered her room.

He tried his room but found nothing but emptiness greeting him. As he was about to rush out of the place, his met his butler who hurried down when he heard Shikamaru's cries.

"Did Temari come here?" Shikamaru asked.

The man in question only shook his head.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, "where can she be?"

"Um… a Sabaku No Gaara called," the butler said quietly.

In an instant, Shikamaru was at the phone waiting for Gaara to pick up the call.

"Hel-"

"Is Temari with you?" Shikamaru demanded.

"No," Gaara replied coolly, "that's what I wanted to tell you; don't look for her. She's safer if you don't look for her, trust me, I'm her brother I would want her safe too. I know it might not make sense now and right now, the only thing on your mind would be to find her but seriously, don't. Everyone knows you'll go look for her once you're able to, they'll follow you until they find Temari," Gaara paused for a moment, "so don't bother with her. She's fine on her own."

Shikamaru couldn't believe it. All this while he was truly intent on looking for Temari and it has never occurred to him that he would be the very reason her safety would be endangered. As much as he didn't want to just stay on the sidelines, he has to, he has to trust Temari's judgment for once and he has to do whatever he can to stop Orochimaru from finding her. It isn't the most desirable measure but, for now, it's the most sensible.

"What do I do?" Shikamaru asked calmly.

"Tell me what they want with Temari," Gaara said sternly, "you have yet to tell me."

Shikamaru briskly explained the idea of the cryptexts and the magical book to Gaara, "but what I do not get is that why Temari? I never expected Orochimaru to come after her."

Shikamaru headed for the computer room near his bedroom and immediately had his fingers racing across the keyboard trying to search for information about the book. The search wasn't easy for he doesn't have the name of the book but after filtering several results he made one rather stark discovery.

"The earliest mentioning of the book in Konoha is in 1993," Shikamaru observed, "but the earliest mentioning of the book _so far_ is in the seventeenth century,

"1993, I wasn't born yet," Gaara stated, "but Temari was."

This newfound information got the adrenaline pumping for the two of them. They found a faint, yet, valuable connection between Temari and the book.

"Before 1993, did you have any special books especially well kept in the Suna library?" Shikamaru asked.

Gaara was in the Secret Royal Suna library in a flash. It is a dark, dusty room filled with rows and rows of important official documents dating back to when Suna first began. Only royals and trust advisors were permitted to this part of the library. From the looks of the dusty handle of the doors, the library hasn't been accessed in a long, long time.

"Shikamaru," Gaara called out into the phone as he heard buzzing on the other end, "I'm about twenty feet underground; the connection is weak. I'll find what I can and contact you as soon as possible."

He hung up the phone.

Since this library was built when Suna first began centuries ago, the shelving methods and categorization were medieval. The flooring is simple; a single walkway deeper into the library lined with shelves and shelves of ancient books on either side. There was a thick tangy smell to the room from all the old books and decaying shelving. Gaara has never been to this place before and has only heard of it from Temari.

It wasn't long before he figured out that the way the books were shelved was according to their dates. Gaara made a beeline for the 1993 shelf located all the way into the end of the library where the light barely reached and the smell was the strongest.

He scanned through the index located at the front of ever shelf for any particular books with a special name. They were listed in alphabetical order with the location and author written on the sides. Nothing stood out until he reached the page with books starting with 'U'.

"Unknown," he read out loud, "shelf E64."

He rushed to look for the shelf with the light from his phone guiding it. It wasn't look before he located the shelf but as he raced through the many books found on it, he found an empty slot at where the book was supposed to be. He swiped his fingers along the empty slot and found a thick layer of dust that accumulated over time.

"It's gone," he told Shikamaru once he exited the library, "I checked the 1993 bookshelf and there was nothing, the book was taken from the Suna library. It doesn't have a name but someone took it long ago."

"Why did you search the 1993 shelving?" Shikamaru asked, "it was written in the seventeenth century it should be there."

"I was in a hurry and I was lazy," Gaara admitted, "the question is: why was it shelved under 1993?"

"It was last accessed then?"

"That's what I thought," Gaara said, "to enter the library, you have to be a royal or any trusted personnel. Now, in this day and age, we use fingerprinting recognition techniques, but back then, they used guards that were only allowed to admit those on the 'Secret Roll'. It is a list of names of important figureheads and royals that are able to enter the library freely. I searched the upper library for this list and I found it. The person who last accessed the library to place the book and the person who last accessed the library to take out the book is on this list."

"If the book was that important, how is someone able to just take it out?" Shikamaru asked.

"I'm guessing the person who took it out smuggled it out," Gaara replied, "I'm sending you the list of people."

Shikamaru grunted thoughtfully, "while you were away I did a scan of years in which this book has been mentioned. It seems a list of odd, random years turned up. I thought it was a pattern but neither the computer nor I could discern anything. Then I tried to find a connection between those years by events-"

"Plausible," Gaara commented.

"It's troublesome but get this- those years were the same years that famous scientists died," Shikamaru said gravely, "it's hard to believe but I thought maybe, maybe these scientists passed on the book from one person to another to add their own entries and these scientists die when their done writing. Whatever it is, the secrets of this book are not meant to be shared with public," he paused for a moment, "I did a quick scan on the list of people you've sent me. Out of fifty eight people only one of them was a scientist… it's your father Gaara."

Gaara remained silent.

"I'm suspecting your father wrote in his contribution in the book, kept it in the library in 1993 and was killed shortly after. By the person who to took it? Possible but not definite, all these men through history have died as well. But whatever it is, this person took it and brought it here, to Konoha."

"That year was the year the war took place," Gaara pointed out randomly, "no one would be allowed to freely enter and exit Suna in these times."

"So you're saying that this person was authorized to exit Konoha… with the book? No way."

"With Temari. This person used Temari as a reason to get out of Konoha to bring the book there!" Gaara said, "that's why they want Temari! Because she was the last person that guy contacted before being assassinated."

"I'll filter off those lives that were accounted for after the war from this list and we'll then narrow it down to the last person who brought Temari and the book over," Shikamaru exclaimed, "Gaara, this is genius! We're down to eight people, here's the eight."

"Narrow it down to Chiyo, Shikira and Masami," Gaara told Shikamaru, "the others would never be entrusted to bring Temari cross the boarder. I'll find their families Shikamaru. You should find Sasuke."

"Eh? Sasuke?"

* * *

"Sakura said that when she arrived, Shikamaru was already gone," Kurenai told Tsunade through the phone, "he must have went to find Temari. What should we do?"

"Nothing. Its too late already," Tsuande said in utter distress, "she must've already passed the information to the Akatsuki, now all we can do is to turn them in to the authorities. That's the only way."

"The only way?" Kurenai had a tinge of worry and apprehension in her voice, "there should be other ways… Tsunade, is this book really that important?"

"It is," Tsunade answered quietly, "we have to make sure they don't get it. Never get it. Have you got the evidence?"

"Yes," Kurenai muttered as she pulled a thick folder from her desk, "what do we do now?"

"We kill them."

* * *

Orochimaru walked down the corridor to the middle of the four cellars and stood there for a moment with cards in his hands. The four kids in the cellar stirred upon his entrance and approached him in minutes.

"You'll be going back to school tomorrow," he announced, "but you won't be going back as yourselves. Especially not Suigetsu," he glared at the aforementioned boy, "here are your new identities," he tossed Sasuke one of the ID cards in his hands, "Kimimaro," he tossed a second one to Karin, "Tayuya," he slid one over to Suigetsu, "Sakon, and Juugo," he handed the last of the ID cards to the boy, "Jiboro. By tomorrow, I want the four of you out of here looking exactly like the people in your ID cards. You'll get me the crytexts by the end of tomorrow."

With that being said, he stomped away leaving the four to scrutinized their cards and moan about their all too bothersome missions. Sasuke glanced at the face on his ID card and groaned.

"This person looks nothing like me," Sasuke muttered throwing the card aside, "fuck this. And by tomorrow. FUCK."

"I have to shave my hair," Juugo muttered, "like a freak."

"We really have to find the crytexts, don't we?" Suigetsu said calmly as he gazed at the ID card, "how are we supposed to do that? It originated from Suna and came here around the war period."

"I'm guessing the hidden location should be somewhere that has some connection to Suna," Juugo said, "anyway, I'm going to shave my hair now."

"Anywhere I can find dark hair dye?"

* * *

Pein entered the room Temari rested in with a burst that startled her out of the bed. They just had a discussion regarding what Zetsu found out while spying on Orochimaru. Temari's mind, on the other hand, was in too much shock to properly register any new information, thus, she chose to retire in one of the empty rooms.

"He didn't get much," Pein declared to Temari, "Orochimaru's hide out is well fortified. We don't know when they'll start looking for the cryptexts, we won't know when they'll start looking for you… Are you scared?"

Temari stared at Pein for a moment or two fearlessly. She's trying to figure out what she ought to be afraid of because at this moment, there isn't anything stopping her from doing what she wants. After everything she's been through, those shocking moments, those scary moments, she doesn't believe there is much energy left in her to be afraid anymore.

"No," she shook her head softly, "I'm not."

Pein nodded, "ok then. You'll be here anyway, you won't be going out. You'll be safe here."

As Pein headed out of the room, Temari stopped him abruptly at the door.

"What's in it for you?" she asked quietly as she looked up at him, "why are you helping me?"

Pein grinned, "that is something you needn't worry about."

"Maybe," Temari muttered to herself once Pein closed the door on her, "I have something to be afraid of."

* * *

"Sakura," Ino muttered as she laid on the couch, "stop pacing around, it's annoying."

Sakura stopped and stared at the girl with incredulous eyes, "Sasuke is gone! He is no where to be found."

"Sai and Shino are busy looking for him!" Ino cried, sitting up from the couch, "they even contacted their foster parents all the way in Africa! Sasuke will be fine, he is a master at taekwondo and he is a tough dude, nothing will happen to him. For all you know, he might be sipping tea in some room in their huge house!"

"I'm rationalizing why Sasuke would just disappear like that!" Sakura said urgently, "and I'm think of Tenten."

A hush fell upon the two girls. They returned home after Tenten's parents insist they leave Tenten is their hands. As much as it hurts them to leave Tenten like that, they knew that her parents really needed the time alone with their biological daughter they fought hard to raise. When they asked about Temari, they couldn't help but lie that Temari was on her way to Suna with to stay with her brother as a precaution. It puzzled her parents for a while before they were assured that Temari, their foster daughter, is in good hands, unharmed.

_"I wouldn't want anything to happen to Temari," Mrs. Tenten said teary eyed as she clutched onto Tenten's soft body, "she is also my daughter!"_

_"She's fine Mrs. Ten," Sakura murmured quietly, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder._

"Where's Hinata?" Ino asked, breaking Sakura from her thoughts, "she's taking quite some timel do you think something might have happened to her? Like… that psychopath…"

Sakura shook her head, "she went to meet her father. What I find strange is that her dad, her busy, busy dad, was willing to take time off his schedule to come see Hinata. It's that weird?"

"A dad coming to see his daughter isn't weird," Ino stated.

"It's Hinata's dad we're talking about."

"True."

"He was like 'Oh, that's cool' when Neji is officially recognized as his nephew," Sakura said, "like who says that about his long lost nephew? That's very strange."

_Ding. Ding. Ding._

Sakura was the one to answer the door. She found Hinata standing in front of her with the greatest frown she had ever seen, it reminded her of the time when Hinata found out about her mother's death.

Before Sakura could ask, Hinata cleared Sakura's queries for her, "he's sending me off to boarding school."

"WHAT?" Ino and Sakura yelled in unison.

"He wanted to send Neji away too, but he can't because Neji isn't legally under his guardianship," Hinata muttered dejectedly, "I'll be going in a week."

"Are you joking?" Ino asked incredulously, "don't joke. Tenten is blind. Sasuke is missing. Temari is hiding from the world. Neji and Shikamaru are both hospitalized… you're… you're going of to boarding school?"

Hinata nodded.

"Why?" Ino whined.

"Like you said," Hinata said as-a-matter-of-factly, "there's so many things happening now. Strange, dangerous, distracting things. My dad really needs me to get into Harvard."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Harvard! Harvard! That's all he can think of now!- No offence Hinata."

"None taken."

"This is ridiculous," Sakura declared, "this is not happening. Life isn't fucking around with us like that! It's just not happening!"

The two girls watched Sakura lamenting about her life as if she might just break down any moment. They kept silent as they didn't want to interrupt Sakura in the midst of her fury; it's potentially lethal.

"When," she murmured quietly after her vent, "when are you leaving again?"

"In a week," Hinata answered with equal softness, "Sakura, there's nothing I can do about it. I have to leave my friends, my hometown, my school, you guys…"

"Naruto," Ino added cheekily despite the current plight they're facing.

Hinata gave a downcast look, "yes… and that… I won't be going to Konoha West for the next few days; he has officially pulled me out. He's thinking that I should start with packing and all those logistical stuff in the coming days… but," Hinata stepped forth and held Sakura's hands, "we _really_ have to find Temari and Sasuke. We _really_ have to sort Tenten out. And I swear to God, I won't be stepping out of this country until everything is resolved."

Sakura forced a weak smile, "that's a week dear. We can't make it."

"No," Ino interjected, "we can. Sakura, what are you thinking? This would take months? Years? If we're going to rescue Temari, bring Sasuke back and pull every single damn one of us out of this shit hole we've been tossed in, it's got to happen fast and end fast."

Ino's sudden burst of enthusiasm, seriousness and common sense impressed Sakura to great lengths. She had never heard Ino speak in this manner before, so much so Sakura was almost inspired. At that, Sakura grinned and nodded at that fiery woman before her. She faced Hinata and threw her a similar look.

"It's the three of us now," Sakura whispered, "we may look like we're hanging onto a twig, almost certain to fall into this bottomless hell hole, but," she added courageously, "this story began with five high school girls living in a tiny apartment and it's going to end with the same five high school girls, together," she glanced at Hinata, "or apart."

"To high school dramas," Ino squealed as she held out on hand in the middle of the tiny circle they formed.

"To the dicks that can't stop meddling with us chicks," Hinata added as she put forth her hand.

Sakura smiled at the two girls and slapped her hand atop theirs, "to the sisterhood."

* * *

"Sir, Madam," a nurse approached the couple seated next to Tenten's bed, "I'm afraid visiting hours are ending."

Mrs. Ten cast a forlorn look at her sleeping daughter's form before getting up with her husband and leaving obediently. As she passed Neji's bed, she gave him a small smile before exiting the ward.

When the left of the visitors have left, the room fell into a deep, dark silence. The ward was lit with the crimson glow of the setting sun adding a melancholic touch to the place. There were only about 2 other elderly patients in the wards and four empty beds; nothing much was going on.

In a distance, Neji could hear the dripping of water from the drippers attached to the elderly. He could also vaguely hear ruffling coming from Tenten's bed.

Neji shifted to get a clearer view of Tenten's back lying in her bed quietly. He noticed her back trembling more vigorously than the usual breathing movements. Slightly worried, Neji got out of his bed and walked around to inspect Tenten. To his surprise he found her curled up in such a fetal position whimpering away whilst using the tiny cotton blanket to muffle out her cries.

The sight sent a panging sensation to his chest. It wasn't solely because he's the main reason for her despair, no, but also because it pains him to see her in such a helpless, depressed, broken state. Its felt like her sorrow transcended across space between them and seeped its way into his chest cavity. What he saw plastered an almost immediately frown on his face and stole the energy from his legs, he went limp and fell onto his knees in front of her. She was too busy crying and too blind to realize Neji's presence before her.

Agilely, we crawled to the side of her bed to get closer to her. Hesitantly, Neji hovered his hand above her for a moment or two before deciding to let it fall gently on her soft head, caressing her hair.

The sudden touch startled her deeply. She jolted from her position and cracked open her eyes. When she saw nothing but blackness, all she did was bit down on her lips to suppress the tears coming.

"Who are you?" she whispered amidst the tears, "Mom?"

"Its me."

"Neji?" she asked incredulously as if she never expected him, "wha- what are you doing here? Aren't you in some private ward? Aren't you out looking for your brother?"

He smiled, but she couldn't see it, "no, I'm here, with you Tenten."

Her hands scurried over to his and held it tightly, "how are you? Are you ok? Everything fine?"

Neji nodded but soon realized that the pair of brown eyes looking at him saw none of him at all.

"Yes, I'm very fine Tenten, very fine," he muttered dejectedly, "you? Are you… fine?" He went with 'fine' for he lacked a more sensitive and forgiving word in his vocabulary.

Tenten blinked a few times and took several deep breaths before assuring Neji that she's fine.

"I'm getting used to this," she muttered unconvincingly, "I'm starting to see the perks of being blind… Haha," she laughed softly, "I think I just made a blind joke."

Neji tried to laugh along but it only came out as a weak grunt, "perks? And what are they?"

"Well… I guess I'm going to be a more earnest person, I won't judge based on appearances and I would develop a keener sense of hearing… like musicians!" She stated spontaneously, "And my sense of touch would heighten. I'll be like the Daredevil! And…" her voice soften a little, "there'll be that ignorance, that unawareness that might be good for one's esteem and confidence."

Neji couldn't flow through on the last few points Tenten made, it felt like there was something more to it then just what she said. He felt like enquiring more about it but the look on her face stopped him from doing so.

"Tenten," Neji said as he placed his other hand over hers, "I'll make a promise to you, I'll hunt down Orochimaru and I'll make sure he dies a slow and painful death for what he did to you and Sasuke," as he said those words, Neji couldn't help but release the warm he held in his eyes through tears, "he will pay for this. He shouldn't have… you shouldn't have…"

"Oh Neji," Tenten's voice started to quiver, "no, no, don't, don't look for Orochimaru," she said as she pulled his closer to her, "I can't put you in danger just to seek revenge. Please don't, it'll hurt me, it'll make my blindness go to waste."

"Go to waste?" Neji asked, "what-"

"I've been thinking to myself, I keep asking myself the same questions over and over again and I just can't seem to find a bone in me that regretted doing what I did," she explained things with the intention of lightening Neji's mood, "I made a choice to push you away fully aware of the consequences. Neji," her hands felt it's way to Neji's tear grazed face, "there's nothing to be upset about. I don't feel cheated, I don't feel disadvantaged because of this, if anything else, it made me stronger and it makes me feel good for taking away something that might've befell you."

"…_and it makes me feel good for taking away something that might've befell you."_

"…_and it makes me feel good for taking away something that might've befell you."_

"…_and it makes me feel good for taking away something that might've befell you."_

Those words were on pause, rewind and replay in his mind. For one, it threw back all the blame she was trying to eradicate, but at the same time, it lifted his spirits in a way he knew nothing else ever could.

"Neji?" she called out gently when she didn't hear a word from him for a while.

"I love you," he blurted out, "I really do. I really love you. Since that kiss outside your house, since carrying you home, since… I loved every moment with you. Oh god Tenten, you don't know how it kills me to see you in this state, you don't know. You don't know how much I've thought about you since that kiss, I made sure you wouldn't, it's not like me to go about professing my sheer adoration to some girl, I am careful, I've had too many girls blindly coming up to me telling me that they love me with the emptiest of hearts. But Tenten, this _thing_ made me realize that… that you might just like me that way I want to be liked."

Now it's Tenten's turn to be silent. Never in her life had a guy ever came up to her and just tell her that he loves her, much less a hot, popular, smart, kind guy. No way. It touched her. Truth was, since the day he launched a surprise attack on her lips, she noticed him in a light different from other men in her life. Never can she see him as a 'bro' or a 'friend' anymore; he kissed her and she enjoyed it.

"I can't see you," she finally spoke, "I can never see you and that hurts me the most."

"But, Tenten," he whispered directly into her ear, "you can feel me."

With that, he laid a kiss on her lips; gentler than the first, more passionate than the second and more honest than any other. She returned the kiss by taking him by the shoulders and pulling him so much closer to her.

"Don't leave me after this, Neji," she said in between kisses, "you did that once…"

"I'll stay this time,

"I'll stay."

* * *

Shikamaru had been about the school grounds gathering evidence, clues, and information as to where Sasuke might be. The school grounds were the last place he is known to have made contact with. So far, after three hours of endless walking about and trying to reenact the scene in his head, he gave up with nothing.

Every time he trying to remember what happened, faces, movements, voices, he can't help but recall the very last time he saw Temari as he pushed her down the stairs to her safety. He remembered yelling for her to run, he yelled with so much force and vigor that his throat felt like claws have been mercilessly dug into them. Then, he didn't care; all that existed in his mind was Temari, Temari, Temari…

Shikamaru leaned against the frame of the door that led to the flight of stairs Temari ran down. He inhale another whiff of the cigarette he held in one hand as he imagined Temari over and over again running down the flight of stairs amidst the madness. She didn't want to leave, she didn't want to go, she's didn't want to be apart, but he told her to and she left- begrudging.

Like on of Temari's movies, he replayed the scene over and scene again in his head; that last look she threw him ten steps down before turning and scurrying away left the deepest impression. The look in his eyes, the immense worry and grief- he felt them all as he lingered where she last stood.

"NOOOOOOOO," he burst out randomly in a fit of frustration and irritation, "WHY? TEMARI, WHY?" he sank down on his knees and tossed the cigarette bud away, "when? When am I ever going to see you again? Temari…"

Shikamaru laid down on the ground, his hands positioned randomly on the ground in the most comfortable and convenient position. He couldn't see the much loved blue sky; all he saw was the bleakness of the walls and the death in the air.

"Where are you?" he spoke mindlessly in a cracky voice as if Temari could hear him, "what are you doing? Are you safe?... I miss you, I miss you terribly."

His eyes flickered repeatedly, the bleak wall before him faded away quietly and morphed into a serene, quiet grasslands with nothing but sunflowers crowding the place for as far as the eye can see.

He paced around, unsure of whether to give in to the serenity or be worried about it. The sight of a straw colored crop stopped him in his tracks. Immediately realizing what it was, he made a mad dash for it until it stood a feet or two from him.

"Temari," he breathed excitedly, "Temari. Oh god, it's you."

He took one large stride to close the distance between them. She smiled at him and stroked his cheek with his fingers.

"Shikamaru," she whispered softly, "you found me."

Without saying a word, he pulled her into an embrace and held her there for as long as he could. Shikamaru was aware that this dream isn't going to last forever, but while it lasted, he's going to absorb all the Temari he can while the real thing is off hiding from him and the rest of the world.

"Don't let me go."

"I won't."

"RING RING!"

He pulled away from her, "what?"

She opened her mouth to say something but all that came out was 'RING RING!'

Almost as quickly as she appeared, Temari started to fade away and so did the calm sunflower field around him. Slowly, he fell back into the reality of the bleak walls in the school carpark.

"Hello?" he growled when he answered the godforsaken phone of his, "what is it?"

"It's Chiyo," Gaara said, "she was the one that brought Temari over to Konoha and got assassinated. But there aren't any records of her in Konoha. Then it occurred to me that she might've changed her name to keep her identity a secret. I ran a scan of the government's database and she turned up. She changed her name to 'Riyo'."

"Riyo?" Shikamaru asked surprised.

"Yes, exactly," Gaara answered Shikamaru's unspoken question, "that Education Minister, she set up the four great Konoha schools and that's probably why Orochimaru wants the four kids from the four schools."

"He won't be able to get those codes if he's going to kidnap those kids and inject them back into their schools, that's stupid," Shikamaru stated, "he must have something up his sleeve. There are better ways of kidnapping these kids, but he simple chose that way. Is there a reason behind that?"

"Stupidity?"

"I'm thinking more along the lines of _attention_," Shikamaru said, "this is so troublesome. Why does everything have to be so complicated? I'm getting a migraine. Gaara, I'll look into this, I'll contact you again."

As soon as Shikamaru hung up on Gaara, he received another untimely call, this time from Chouji.

"Yes?" he snapped.

"Dude," Chouji said, "I haven't seen you since forever! With all these shit going down, I'm getting fucking worried about you. Your butler called, said he couldn't reach you, where the fuck are you?"

Shikamaru shrugged as he examined the surroundings, "the school car park, I was looking for clues. I need to find Sasuke."

"Yeah, I heard that boy went missing," Chouji said, "what happened to him?"

Shikamaru sighed, Chouji isn't going to like what Shikamaru's going to say, "Chouji, I think it's best if you stay out of this. I really don't mean to be rude but if more people I care about enters this mess… I might just give up. Hang out with Kiba, Lee and Naruto for the time being will you?"

"I get you," Chouji muttered with a hint of hurt in his voice, "I do. I really want to help, but if not helping is… helping then I guess that's the best I can do. Take care man, I can't wait to see you again, will take you to the best food convention there is."

Shikamaru smiled, thankful for such an understanding friend, "ok. I can't wait for those days too."

* * *

"Karin," came a familiar voice from behind her.

She spun around to come face to face with a pair of not-so-familiar black eyes. She gave him a one over of his new look as 'Sakon' and smiled lightly.

"I preferred your amethyst eyes," she commented flatly, "and your hair," she ran one hand through his grey tendrils, "it looks depressing now. You don't look like Suigetsu at all."

"I'm taking that as a good thing," Suigetsu grinned, "can you see without your dork specs?"

Karin frowned, "these brown contacts aren't just there to give my eyes color you dipshit."

Orochimaru had released them earlier that day to settle their appearance. Any attempts made in escaping were futile, as Oorchimaru would always draw them back with the serum he injected into them.

Juugo was the fastest with his transformation; all he had to do was shave off bits and pieces of hair and get some brown contacts. Sasuke took the longest as he has to flatten out his usual spiked up hair, add some extensions and bleach the whole thing grey. Not to mention the face makeup and the contacts were hard to get used to for someone so plain and simple like him. Karin, being the girl, was rather fast despite the extreme differences between Tayuya and herself. Suigetsu, on the other hand, could have been faster if he didn't complain on and on about how gay Sakon looked.

By the end of the day, the four of them looked nothing like there were and exactly like how they should be. Although the transformation was all fun and games, they knew the real shit would come soon and by then, all hell breaks loose.

"I did some research about the Konoha schools and Suna," Juugo announced quietly, "they do have certain connections and they were all after the war," he explained calmly as the three gathered around him, "Suigetsu, your school went into the finals in a basketball match against Suna a year after the war, you guys won and got a golden trophy from the previous champion."

"I'm guessing the previous champion was Suna," Suigetsu said.

Juugo nodded to that, "Karin, your school is rather special, since it is the school topographically closest to Suna, it was the location of the peace ceremony several weeks after the war."

"That isn't helpful," Karin muttered.

Juugo shook his head, "they buried a time capsule in front of the flag poles as a reminder to future generations about the effects of war. As you your school, Sasuke, the only connection has nothing to do with the school. Before the war started, before the school was built, that piece of land belonged to a wealthy Suna trader. What's so special about that piece of land is that it has an underground winery that the Sun soldiers used during the war to seek refuge. Years later, the school was built.

"As for Konoha East," Juugo continued, "it has a sister school in Suna and upon it's opening, they were presented a gift from this sister school- a ceramic statue of the school crest. That's it. That's all I've got."

Suigetsu gave Juugo a pat on the back, "well done sonny! We'll just have to center in on those targets tomorrow. But that bastard can't seriously want those codes by tomorrow, can he? Fuck, why doesn't he go do it himself since it's so freaking easy!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he played with his extensions. He hasn't gotten used to this crowd yet. They have obviously been together long enough to be speaking so comfortably amongst themselves. Sasuke only vaguely heard of Suigetsu on the news once and had seen Juugo around the school several times, Karin, however, he was rather familiar with, as she was once the lead of his fan girl army. However, after her disappearance from his life, she had taken a vast turn of attitude towards him. It felt as if his godlikeness has squiggled it way out of Sasukes body and into that whit haired man's body, as Karin plainly couldn't stop gushing over that man. Sasuke didn't mind it the least bit that Karin isn't spazzing over him anymore, no, in fact, he didn't have time to think about such trivial matters when he has to worry about finding the cryptext- which everyone is taking too lightly- and thinking about the people he left behind.

His brothers would probably be in a frantic search looking for him, both Sai and Shino. Neji, however, he knew wouldn't be able to leave the hospital anytime soon in the state he last saw that dude in. An image of the beaten up Neji grazed his mind and his whined at that thought. He'd much rather Neji stay in the hospital than go searching for Sasuke, besides, he is sure that Tenten would be the main cause of Neji not leaving that place.

Then he thought of Sakura. He knew for a fact that Sakura would find him like how she scours the depth of the Internet to search for answers to her projects- she won't stop until she finds it. That probably something that he loves and hates about her. To see her struggle around looking for answers can be cute, but in this case, he really wish that she wasn't so determined. Her determination might just be her downfall here. He glanced at himself in the mirror. He would be returning to Konoha West tomorrow and meeting all his friends and family as a different person, as Kimimaro. He really doesn't have time to go around finding out if they missed him or if they're close to finding him, no, he needs to find the cryptext and get the hell out of the place before someone recognizes him. Hell, if Sakura recognizes him, this would spell trouble with a capital T. Knowing Sakura, she would pester him to no end and if she doesn't get the answer that she wants, she'll probably track him down to Orochimaru's lair.

He can't have that happening.

"Juugo," he called out to the larger man, "do I look like remotely like Sasuke?"

Juugo shook his head, "nope. Nothing on you reminds me of Sasuke. Don't worry, just play your cards right and everything would go smoothly."

"Being here, doing shit for people just for a bloody antidote isn't exactly my definition of 'smoothly'," Sasuke muttered, "I never missed studying so much."

Juugo chuckled.

* * *

A smile rode across Tsunade's face as she exited the conference room with Kurenai and Asuma. It took them the whole day to convince the authorities that the Akatsuki kids aren't just of bunch of elite students with falsely menacing looks. It took the whole morning to consolidate the evidences, the afternoon to explain the evidences and the evening to plan the necessary course of action.

They board has decided to allow the one person who's so well versed in the Akatsuki's mannerisms to lead the operation of disposing the kids- Tsunade herself. Happily, Tsunade accepted the job knowing that this is the only way to erase any threat to the book, including Kakashi, Anko and Temari.

"We need to track them down," Kurenai stated once they were in the car, "they made their location the greatest secret of the twentieth century, how are we supposed to… _kill_ them if we don't know where they are?"

Tsunade nodded slowly before another smirk materialized, "we need to know where Kakashi is don't we?"

"Yes…"

"And Shikamaru, he will definitely find Temari."

"So you're saying-"

"Exactly. They will all be together when it happens."

* * *

When Shikamaru arrived home, he realized that there was a letter addressed to him from the ingenuity school reminding him that school starts the following day.

"Troublesome," he muttered as he sauntered up the stairs, "fucking troublesome. It's like everything is trying to go against us."

The butler appeared in his way as he headed for his room.

"Master Nara," he said breathing a sigh of relief, "you're home. I've been trying to contact you. Your father called this evening asking for you. He requested that you call back once you're back."

Shikamaru grunted softly before returning to his room. There, he laid in his bed for a while thinking of Temari. He needed her there with him so he rushed to the toilet she frequently uses whenever she stayed over and took her bottle of rose flavored shampoo. He brought it to his en suite bathroom and filled the tub with steaming hot bath water. Afterwards, he pumped several amounts of the shampoo into the tub and stirred the mixture until bubbles formed and the scent of roses choked the bathroom.

He dragged his feet out and kept the bathroom door open for the scent to diffuse into the room. Shikamaru laid back on his bed and inhaled the strong scent of roses so reminiscent of Temari. It calmed him in a way, imagining her there.

Hesitantly, he picked up the phone that laid innocently on the bedside table and dialed his father's number.

"Shikamaru?" came his father's voice when he picked up the phone, "where have you been?"

"Around the place," Shikamaru replied not feeling up to talking.

"Hm… well, I heard your girlfriend went back to Suna," Shikaku said, "and about your friend getting kidnapped, I understand you're upset."

What Shikaku knows is what Gaara felt was necessary for the general public to know. Gaara lied to press and the media about Temari returning to Suna and staying there for the time being while all the chaos ensues in Konoha explaining her absence. This would prevent anyone from trying to find Temari and placing her in even greater danger. However, people involved in this whole mess know very well that Temari would never make her location known, these people include Shikamaru himself and Orochimaru.

"Yeah dad," Shikamaru answered quietly trying not to give away too much, "where are you now?" he asked in efforts to change the subject.

"The government sent me for this really troublesome international science submit in Iwa," Shikaku answered with a heavy sense of dread in his voice, "but enough of me, I received and email from Danzo about some kind of ingenuity school. Are you aware of that?"

"Yes," Shikamaru replied his father with a kind of dread that would place his father's voice in shame, "it starts tomorrow."

"Hm, about that Shikamaru," his father held a warning tone to his voice that caught Shikamaru's attention, "I'd like you to be careful when it comes to Danzo. I mean, he's kind of suspicious to him. Unlike the other ministries, his ministry is very… secretive about their operations. So far no problems have surfaced due to their lack of transparency, but I'd like you to just be a little aware. When I first heard his proposal for the school, I thought it was rather ridiculous and not to mention very troublesome, but he was so insistent about it… Those really made me doubt his intentions."

They talked for a little while longer before Shikaku decided it was too late to continue and hung up. Shikamaru was left contemplating about what his father said. It did make some sense after all, what good would it do to gather all the smartest kids around and start a school? It isn't healthy for the rest of the students just to single out the best of them. Hasn't the government always been emphasizing on how the better one's should help the weaker ones and thus there shall be no sort of banding or grading school wise? To have this school pop out of nowhere defeats the foundations of what education in Konoha was built on.

He took a whiff of the rose scent and started to wonder if the setting up for this ingenuity school has anything to do with the cryptexts.

"_He'll need four students to gather the four cryptexts from the four schools and once he's got them, he'll need to solve it to be able to find out the location of the Book._"

"…_he'll need to solve it…"_

"…_solve it…" _

"…_SOLVE IT…" _

Juugo's voice boomed on and off in his head as if telling him something absolutely vital to piece together the pieces of the puzzle.

"Could it be…?" Shikamaru thought a loud, "he wants us to solve the cryptext? This is so troublesome. God."

* * *

Sakura couldn't help but fumble about in bed sleeplessly. What Tsunade said in the hospital kept hitting her over and over again like an ice block. Tsunade is planning to kill Temari, Kakashi and Anko along with the Akatsuki. This isn't happening, she couldn't believe it.

She flipped to her side and stared at the blank wall, expecting something to happen that would drag her out of all this, wishing and hoping that the walls around her would just start to fade away and she'll wake up realizing that she had the most frighteningly epic dream ever. But nothing happened.

From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a single strand of dark raven hair lying innocently against her white pillow. She gently picked it up and examined it against the ceiling lights.

She picked up her phone and plugged in her ear piece, selected a particular song on her playlist, chose 'loop' and pressed 'play'.

"Sasuke," she murmured while the song started to load, "I love you baby…"

"_You're just too good to be true, can't take my eyes off you, you'd be like heaven to touch, I wanna hold you so much. At long last love has arrived, and I thank God I'm alive, you're just too good to be true, can't take my eyes off you__…_"

* * *

He gently traced her spine, stroking her back as she drifted of to sleep in his arms. She had one arm across Neji's abdomen and the hand gripping on to his. They have stayed in that position for the past few hours talking and talking until she got tired of it and started to enter her deep slumber. Neji wasn't ready to sleep so he just laid there with her next to him soundly sleeping.

Neji watched her as she fell asleep; her soft, brown locks sprawled all over the pillow and her skin paled by the bright moonlight filtering through the windowpanes, it illuminated her face and god, is she beautiful in his eyes. It would have felt like any other night if it weren't for the fact that they were sleeping on a hospital bed.

"What good is it to learn medicine when I can't even help you?" he whispered to the sleeping Tenten, "or tarot card reading when I can't even predict and prevent this? Everything seems useless now.

"So useless now."

He glanced out the window and started to wonder about Sasuke. Though his whole heart has been current devoted to caring for Tenten, he can't help but allow his brother to occupy a tiny portion. Neji knows Sasuke would be totally fine on his own without help from the; his Taekwondo skills and his intense determination and stubbornness would get him past virtually _anything_. Neji is also aware that Sai and Shino are out there frantically trying to seek Sasuke out but to no avail, the act of searching, however, brought some ease to his mind that there are people he trust putting in some effort.

Tenten's shifting drew his attention away from thoughts of Sasuke. She's now turned facing him and her tiny hands gripping tightly to his shirt.

"Neji?" she murmured quietly with her eyes still closed.

"Yes?"

"I'm just checking," she smiled to herself, "if you're still here."

* * *

"Good morning students of Konoha West."

Tsunade has demanded a mandatory rally of all the students in Konoha West first thing in the morning.

"As you know the suspension yesterday was due to the unprecedented kidnapping of one of our students," Tsunade said confidently on stage, "we would like to inform you that Uchiha Sasuke has yet to be found and three students are currently hospitalized for injuries sustained during the kidnapping. We would request that all students be on their guard at all times and…"

"Ino," Naruto asked as he scooted to a seat near to Ino, "where's the other half of our class?"

"They're out looking for Sasuke," Ino replied coolly.

Naruto's eyes widened, "looking for Sasuke?"

Ino rolled her eyes, "haven't you been listening? Sasuke was kidnapped the day before! Now Sakura, Hinata, Sai and Shino are all out looking for Sasuke."

"I have to go help!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly, "Sasuke is my friend too! I must help look for him! I'm going to ditch school after this period and start!"

Ino grabbed Naruto's flying hands and calmed him down, "you really don't want to get yourself involved in this right now," she said with a serious tone she rarely used, "it's dangerous, the others are only doing it cause they're _already_ involved. It's not all fun and games Naruto, I was almost taken away last night because of that, I really don't want anything happening to you."

Naruto smiled and placed his hand atop of Ino's as a sign of comfort, "thank you for being so concerned about me, but no matter how much danger I thrust myself into, it cannot be compared to the danger that Sasuke's in. I really want to help them Ino whether you like it or not."

With that said, Naruto raced down the stairs to the exit doors of the auditorium before any teacher caught him. Ino tried to chase after him to stop him but Shizune sensei appeared in time to stop her. Helpless, Ino resorted to called Sakura for back up. The only reason Ino came to school was to stop such things for happening and to keep tabs on what's happening in school. After that traumatic incident, everyone agreed that Ino should be stuck with the safest job amongst them.

"Sakura! Mayday! Mayday!" Ino whispered harshly into her phone, "Naruto defiantly went to join the search party! What do we do?"

"Gosh, that dick!" Sakura cried, "ok, I'll direct him to our house. He'll just stay there and 'help' Hinata look for Sasuke… he doesn't know about Temari right?"

"No, I don't think anyone knows," Ino said, "anyway, Tsunade is talking to the school about keeping a look out for Sasuke, she's saying close to nothing about Temari except for the fact that she's in Suna with Gaara and Kankuro."

"Brilliant," Sakura answered, "now just keep an eye on that woman, I'm just going around asking anyone if they've seen Sasuke."

They hung up a few minutes later and Ino resumed to listening to Tsunade's 'warning'.

"Be very careful children," Tsunade said with certain graveness to her voice, "you never know what's out there. You're released for classes."

As everyone got up and exited the auditorium, Ino noticed as Tsunade looked in the direction of her class and whispered something to Kurenai and Asuma. She found that really suspicious since she recalled seeing Kurenai and Asuma in the hospital with Tsunade yesterday.

Ino walked out of the place when it was less packed and graced through the relatively quiet school halls. Along the way to the way to class, she walked by the office and couldn't help but notice that Kurenai and Asuma's names were written on the 'not in school today' board.

She furrowed her brows and shook her head, "but I clearly saw them just now, what did Tsunade say to them that caused them to just flee the school like that?"

Ino obediently texted her findings to Sakura.

* * *

The classroom was nothing less than pristine. Only about 50 students were seated neatly in inclined rows in front of the teacher's desk and that's the entire student population. Shikamaru was the latest among his classmates appearing only 34 seconds before the bell rang for the commencement of lessons. He took a seat at the farthest corner of the classroom bearing a grim expression- this is _so_ not the time for lessons.

"Good morning students," a tall, authoritative lady stepped into the classroom the moment the clock struck eight, "welcome to Konoha's very first ingenuity college for the intellectually gifted," she paused to survey the room, "I will be your homeroom teacher for the coming semester, you'll be addressing me as Ms. S. How…" she stopped for a moment seemingly looking for an appropriate word, "_lessons _would be carried out would be as such," she spun around and pulled a tiny string hanging behind her to reveal a white projector screen, "you would be assigned projects to be done individually for a period of time. You will be assessed based on how close you are to the requirements," she spoke confidently, "of course, some of you would make it through to the second semester, while others," she held back her words for effect, "wouldn't."

A series of whispers rushed through the students as many of them worry about going back to public schools and mixing with- what they believe to be- _inferior_ classmates.

Shikamaru could only cringe in disgust at the elitisms complex these students possess. He would never ever be prevail upon to consider himself better than any of his friends because he is smart, hell, his girlfriend ain't anywhere smarter than him but he still _worships_ her.

Shikamaru groaned quiet at the thought of Temari; despite Gaara's assurance of Temari's safety, he still has doubts.

"We shan't waste anymore time," Ms. S voice boomed throughout the classroom, she pressed a button on her keyboard to flash another slide on the screen, "this would be your new project: The memory altering machine."

There was a wave of gasps and groans throughout the classroom as everyone never expected such a challenging project to be presented to them on the first day. Shikamaru, however, found this all too suspicious.

"Your aim is to develop and build a machine capable of selecting certain strands of memory and removing them from a person's mind," Ms. S explained, "it can take any form and use any kind of science, but at the end of the day, this machine must be able to _select and delete_. Any questions?"

Shikamaru raised his weak and lazy arm, "what's the purpose of such a project, why does the school want us to… invest our time in such a _troublesome_ device?"

Ms. S only smiled enigmatically at the question, "self learning, honing creativity… providing the challenge… what other purpose can we have other than the generic few? Any other questions?"

Ms. S answered a few more technical and less intriguing questions from the other eager students before exiting the classroom for the students to start planning the project in peace.

The classroom fell into complete silence after the teacher left, nothing but the sound of pen on paper could be heard. Shikaku's words echoed in Shikamaru's head as he observed the rest of his classmates.

"I guess I won't know what they're up to until I follow through with this," Shikamaru thought to himself as he stared at the blank piece of paper before him, "risky, but the only way."

He noticed his classmates were all at lost at how to being planning a memory-altering machine. They were fidgeting in their seats, surfing the web or just plainly wrecking their brains. Shikamaru, on the other hand, had a flashback of one of the many times he spent in the video store with Temari picking out DVDs to watch at his place.

"_This," Temari said as she pulled out a DVD case from the shelf, "is THE best Jim Carrey movie period." _

_He took the DVD from her and examined the mediocre looking cover of a man and a blue haired lady laying side by side on a frozen pond. _

"_This looks dangerous," Shikamaru joked at he pointed at the two figures, "this girl has pretty funky hair."_

_Temari raised a brow, "hm, I think my hair is pretty funky too; four pony tails- wherever do you see such a thing?" _

"_I happen to like your four pigtails as troublesome as it is to assemble them," Shikamaru stated proudly, "it's less likely to give you a receding hairline as opposed to a single pigtail and it's probably a very stable- if we're talking physics- hairdo." _

_Temari only rolled her eyes at his smart alec comment, "so do you want to watch it?" _

_Shikamaru looked at the bundle of DVDs at hand and gave her a questioning look. _

"_I was talking about _Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind_." _

"_Oh the one with the dangerous cover," Shikamaru observed, "sure, I'm always up for women with funky hair." _

Then it hit him.

"Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind," Shikamaru muttered under his breath, "this is a good lead."

* * *

"Neji?"

Neji's eye cracked open to see the caller. It took awhile for his vision to focus and realize that it was Mrs. Tenten that called him.

"OH MY GOD!" Neji jolted from the bed, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry Mrs. Ten!"

"Neji?" Tenten stirred, as she was shaken awake by Neji's violent movements, "what's happening?"

Neji bent over and patted Tenten lightly on the head, "it's nothing, go back to sleep now. It's too early to be up," he whispered gently, "I'm going to the toilet, I'll be back."

He pulled himself out of her grasp and exited the ward with Mrs. Ten tailing closely behind.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Ten," he apologized again once they're outside the way, "I didn't do anything. I swear! And she was fully aware of my presence, I think you-"

"Neji, Neji," Mrs. Ten stopped him, "Neji, do you know where Temari is?"

Neji stopped and gave her a blank expression; partially surprised that she wasn't upset by what she saw.

"I… I… haven't heard from her… but," Neji added shortly after recalling what Sakura had conveyed to him earlier, "I'm certain that she's with her brother in Sunkagure."

Mrs. Ten nodded her head eagerly, "I know, but that's the problem; I don't think she's there. I've tried called Gaara over and over wanting to have a word with Temari but Gaara's always giving me these excuses," she stopped herself from her ramblings and looked Neji straight in the eye, "her friends all insists that she's with Gaara, but I'm not convinced. Neji, my daughter vested so much of her faith in you, please, please tell me if Temari is really with Gaara; I can't rest till I am certain of her safety."

A part of him told him to assure her of Temari's safety regardless of how false that statement would be, another part of him told him that he has a duty to Mrs. Ten after being the root of her tumult. To dwell to much on deciding his course of action would only show hesitation, to immediately answer would only be suspicious.

"Mrs. Ten," Neji finally spoke with a noticeable decline in confidence in his voice, "honestly… I don't know where Temari is."

Mrs. Ten's lips thinned into a straight line and her fists clenched to mute the shaking of her hands. Neji could tell that she was trying her best to compose herself in front of him.

"I understand," she muttered with a weak voice, "I'll be going then."

Neji said nothing to her when she turned around and walked away.

"Oh and," she stopped to add, "I beg you, please take care of Tenten for me."

And she disappeared in the darkness.

* * *

"Hello?" Sakura said as she answered her cellphone, "Naruto?"

"Hey Sakura," Naruto's chirpy voice came through the speaker, "I heard about the hunt for Sasuke and I thought I'll be able to help so I ditched school."

"Oh really?" Sakura tried to sound excited and shock as if Ino hadn't warned her and like she's really happy with the additional happy, "that's brilliant, Hinata can really use some help now. She's over at our place, do you know where's that?"

"Believe it!" Naruto exclaimed, "I'll dash over and help her right now. What about you? Don't you need help?"

"Sai's with me," Sakura lied, "please hurry. I have to go, bye."

She hung up abruptly knowing that Naruto got what he called for. But as soon as she resumed to asking around for Sasuke, she received a notification from her phone; it was a text from Ino.

_Asuma sensei and Kurenai sensei mysteriously went M.I.A after assembly. _

Sakura scowled, but she can't say she didn't expect such a thing. Immediately, she sent a mass text to all involved parties to keep a look out for Kurenai and Asuma sensei and to avoid them at all costs.

_If they were to see you however, return to school. Relay the location of the two if they're sighted. Other than that, be more careful when looking for Sasuke kun. _

"Hinata," Sakura called the girl, "Naruto's coming over."

"Naruto kun?" Hinata's worried voice came through the phone, "why? How?"

"He found out we're looking for Sasuke," Sakura explained quickly, "look, I really need you to keep him occupied with something that has absolutely nothing to do with Sasuke and Temari."

"But Sakura-"

"Please," Sakura begged, " Sasuke's out there."

With that, Hinata gave an understanding sigh and hung up.

Little did she know that the very place she ditched today is the very place Sasuke it at.

* * *

Sasuke walked to the school's backyard in hopes of finding a way to the underground winery; the gardening club has a large patch of land in the backyard, just before a huge Sakura tree, entirely dedicated to planting grapes.

When he got there, the presence of a group of seniors prevented him from investigating the vineyard. He felt it would be rather suspicious if a random student just went over to the vineyard and examined the area, so instead, Sasuke walked over to them as if he was interested in the activity they were engaged in- smoking.

"Hi freshie," one of the seniors smirked when he saw Sasuke- as Kimimaro- walking towards them, "what's up?"

"Just looking for a smoke," Sasuke answered coolly with a voice of a lower register, "I see you got some there; may I?"

The male just tossed him the packet and the lighter at once, Sasuke caught them both without a sweat, impressing the bunch and he took out a stick, stuck it in between his lips and started the lighter.

Sasuke was prepared for the awful taste that was to come; Shikamaru offered him a cigarette at the exact same place once. He took his position against the wall- much like how he did the first time he tried to smoke- and brought the burning lighter to his cigarette.

The bitter, rich taste of ash and smoke came in a few seconds. Sasuke held back a cough and a gag to make his act believable. Just as everyone was convinced of his purpose at the back of the school, someone that Sasuke knew appeared smashing all his confidence in his ploy.

"Ku-ro-sa-ki!" the senior that tossed Sasuke the pack of cigarettes shouted as Ichigo appeared around the corner, "late as usual."

Ichigo joined the group and immediately noticed the new addition.

"Who's the freshie?" he asked taking his own pack of cigarettes from his pocket, "you look awfully familiar."

Sasuke's heart skipped a beat; he can't let Ichigo find out who he really is.

"Kimimaro," he said quickly, "you're Rukia's boyfriend aren't you? Well, I'm one of Byakuya's friends… sort of. Maybe's that's why I look so familiar."

Ichigo nodded slowly, "hm, I think so too, might have seem you at one of Byakuya's parties."

All the talk of Ichigo and Rukia reminded Sasuke of a time not too long ago when Ichigo was about to tell him about why everyone feared the Akatsuki. He would've known if it weren't for Rukia's untimely interruption. Now is probably the best time to find out.

"Say," he broke the silence amongst the smokers, "before I transferred here, I heard some stories about a group of really popular- almost worshipped seniors- here, what's that all about?"

Ichigo started to crack up, "trust the new ones to mix 'popularity' with 'fear'. Thank god they're gone, was shitting in my pants every time Itachi was around."

"Fear? What do you mean by fear? What did they do to make everyone fear them so much?"

"They killed a ton of kids," Ichigo said grimly, "they were orphans invited to watch a baseball match between the four Konoha schools. Despite the homicide, the news only reported a wild fire and nothing of the mass murder."

_The day was clear with fluffy white clouds adorning the sky and the sun shining every so brilliantly behind the clouds. The air was warm and cooling at the same time and almost perfect for a day out at the baseball stadium. _

_Crowds of students and teachers from all the four Konoha schools slowly filled the place. The students from the different schools wore their school colors as a sign of support for their baseball teams. Konoha North students came in all shades of blue, Konoha East students were adorned in yellow, Konoha South students in red and Konoha West students in green. _

_On a separate bleacher sat the principal of Konoha West- Principal Tsunade- and a group of orphans who were sent from a charity. Tsunade warmly received the kids and invited them to sit with her- away from the other teachers and the students. _

_Just as the game was about to start, an ominous cloud loomed over the stadium send torrents of rain down on the spectators. The Konoha students all rushed up the bleachers in efforts to shield themselves from the rain. Amidst all the madness, ten figures appeared on the field from within the fog of the rain. _

_One of them threw clay balls in the direction on the bleachers with the orphans. As soon as the clay ball hits the metal railings, it exploded sending shards from the glass planes flying all over the place. The glass shards took the lives of half of the orphans present. The other half ran for their lives, but before they could escape, another clay bomb was sent flying their way; effectively killing the rest of them. _

_All the students present witnessed this event and when they tried to phone the police or snap a shot of what's going on, their electrical and mobile devices died on them. _

_There was smoke all over the place and nobody could tell if anyone from that bleacher was still alive. Around the area they could see the remnants of the dead orphans lying around. Flesh and blood painted the walls a bright red with broken bones creating haphazard patterns. Frequently, one would be able to see a limb lying on the seats or stuck to the wall. _

_The ten figures disappeared as soon as they appeared, however, when questioned who the ten figured were, there was no doubt that they were the ten students who weren't accounted for in the stadium that day- the Akatsuki._

_Everyone thought that Principal Tsunade died in the explosions but she emerged with little injury when the smoke cleared. Apparently, she narrowly escaped through the gaps in between the bleachers. _

_Everyone knew it was the Akatsuki that did it but there was no evidence to prove it. All the on site cameras that were brought in to film the game were damaged before the accident happened and the Akatsuki were seen hanging out in a local bar during the time of the accident. _

"It couldn't be them," Ichigo said, "but we know it's them. Everyone got so scared that the Akatsuki might mercilessly kill them so that treat the Akatsuki like Gods to get on their better side."

The bell rang.

"Classes," the seniors moaned as they tossed their cigarettes aside and leave.

Sasuke lingered a while before tossing his own half used cigarette and went straight for the vineyard.

* * *

"Shikamaru?" Ino gasped when she saw the man during freshman lunch break, "wha- what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at your special school?"

"It's not exactly a school," Shikamaru said nonchalantly, "they just assign us some project to do and we can do anything we want afterwards just as long as we produce the final product on the last day…. that's on Friday, the day after tomorrow. Urgh. Troublesome, I know," he came in closer and whispered in a hushed tone: "I heard the other went scouting for Sasuke?"

Ino nodded to that.

"And you're the look out?" he asked.

"Yes," Ino answered, "nothing out of the blue so far, the school's just abuzz with stuff about Sasuke but nothing out of the ordinary. I'm guessing Sakura texted you about-"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Great."

"I'm just going to look around the parking lot for clues again," Shikamaru said quietly, "I don't want to miss anything out."

Ino gave a worried face; she and the other knew that Shikamaru was only doing this to stop himself from searching for Temari.

"Ok," Ino murmured, "I'll be going."

While Shikamaru was crossing the school backyard to get to the parking lots, he saw a strange looking boy with white hair pacing around the vineyard in an odd way. What struck him the most was the way this boy walked; it looked so familiar.

The boy must have felt someone staring at him as he turned around to find Shikamaru nearby. Shikamaru could tell that his presence startled the boy, however, what he found strange was that the boy just ran off after seeing him.

He shook it off thinking that the boy was another one of those weirdos in Konoha West. As Shikamaru ventured further, he picked up on a familiar, tantalizing scent- the smell of smoke.

"No Shikamaru," he scolded himself mentally, "no."

Shikamaru pinched his nose as he walked by his usual smoking spot; he didn't want to get tempted to smoke again. But the smell was just to overwhelming and suddenly; the weight of the box of _Black Stones_ cigarette in his back pocket became heavier.

"Urgh," he groaned as he whipped out the box and a lighter, "just one smoke."

He lit his cigarette and leant against the wall. He observed the sky, the quiet surroundings and the cigarette bud coated ground. From the looks of it, Ichigo and gang were just there; he could tell from the locations of several fresh cigarette buds. One thing Shikamaru learnt from smoking was that the 'toss distance' of worn buds is almost always the same. He could see Ichigo's pile of cigarettes increasing at a single spot as he always uses the same strength to toss the bud and always toss it at a certain angle.

Since he decided he had sometime on his hands, Shikamaru took it upon himself to name the owner of every pile of cigarette in sight- just for the fun of it and to take his mind off reality.

Shikamaru was going along smoothly until he chanced upon a single cigarette not to far from his own pile. Just as he was about to discard it as one of those anomalies, he noticed that underneath the cigarette, just sticking out from the sand was a familiar black cigarette.

Now, Shikamaru knew the smoking community in Konoha West well; it's a small community and everyone's got each other's back. After hanging out with each other several times, Shikamaru slowly learnt the cigarette preferences of each individual. Most of them would go for the commercial brands that were easily available, but Shikamaru, he needed that strong bitter taste resonating in his pipes, that's why his cigarette is special, costly and hard to find- _Black Stones_. As far as he knew, no one in the entire cigarette community in Konoha West used Black Stones, no one but him. So the black cigarette really grabbed his attention.

He paced over to it and kicked off the dirt to confirm that the black cigarette is indeed a Black Stones' cigarette.

Shikamaru's face paled upon the discovery; he knew no one else used Black Stones, but he knew he only ever offered another person a cigarette before.

"Sasuke," he muttered under his breath.

He looked at the fresh cigarette bud on the ground just next to the used Black Stones cigarette and made a run for it.

* * *

Temari paced around her tiny room for the hundredth time today. Kakashi, Anko and the Akatsuki demanded she stay in the room for her own safety while they left the hide out for their separate duties.

It was getting boring and, most of all, growing very anxious. She doesn't know the whole story and she doesn't know what the Akatsuki's battle plan is. Most of all, she doesn't know if she's safe of not.

She walked out of her room into the main room where they did most of the discussion. There was no one there, it seemed odd and suspicious yet a part of her told her that Kakashi and Anko would never deceive her like that.

On the large table in the middle of the room Temari saw the documents she collected from Tsunade's office. It didn't strike up much interest in her as she has already seen its contents but she walked over to them anyway.

Whilst filing through the multitude of documents, she chanced upon one of the newspaper cuttings of Chiyo. She examined the photo of Chiyo closely and found nothing familiar about the woman and yet, it felt as if Temari had seen her before.

She went through a few more photos of Chiyo even the ones about her death before something odd stood out.

"Why is Chiyo wearing this necklace consistently in every photo," she observed from earlier pictures, "and," she whipped out an article pertaining her death with a photo of her embalmed body on it, "but not when she died?"

Because she chain was the only part of the necklace that stood out in the photo, Temari couldn't tell exactly what this necklace was. Thus, Temari raced to the computer and Google search an image of Chiyo. She looked through all the photos of Chiyo until she found one with a clear image of the entire necklace.

The photo was taken when the war with Sunakagure just ended and everyone was jumping for joy, Chiyo as well. She was standing in the forefront of the photo in midair and the necklace had come out of her shirt.

When Temari zoomed to get a better view of the necklace, the discovery almost caused her to fall out of the seat.

She knew this necklace must've been really important to Chiyo for her to be wearing it all everywhere.

She also knew that Chiyo didn't have the necklace when she died.

Now she knows that Chiyo didn't have the necklace when she died because Chiyo passed it to her, the last person she was in contact with before being assassinated.

It's a necklace with a long silver chain chained to an antique looking key and it's back at home, in her drawer with all the other trinkets from her childhood.

* * *

"Ichigo," Shikamaru came up to him during his taekwondo practice, "who was the new guy that came smoking with you guys today?"

"Oh hey Shikamaru," Ichigo frowned, "nice to meet you, I'm doing fine."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, "come on, this is urgent."

"He told us his name is Kimimaro, new freshman in the college," Ichigo said monotonously, "long white hair, weird make up on his face… one of those weirdos in school."

The way Ichigo described him made his sound like the guy that avoided Shikamaru in the school backyard.

"That has to be him," Shikamaru muttered, "thanks!"

He took off to look for Sasuke.

* * *

"Hinata," Nauto called from the computer, "are you sure I'm supposed to be doing this?"

"Um," Hinata said quietly, "continue searching, we're really close!"

Naruto reached the house an hour earlier and since then, all he has been doing is stare into the computer screen and Google search images of Sasuke. Naturally the first few pages that appeared were photos of the actual Sasuke they're looking for, but from the 6th page onwards, the Sasukes were all random people with the same name. Now, he's at the 134th page and counting…

Meanwhile, Hinata's busy coordinating all the searchers by updating everyone on the locations of different people to maximize their effectiveness as well as to track Kurenai and Asuma's movement. So far, there hasn't been any report about their appearance.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Aware of this, she glanced at Naruto to see if he's paying any attention to her. When she did, he noticed he was just staring at her. A heat rush engulfed her face as it turned cherry tomato red.

Naruto held a very quizzical expression as if he had something he needed to enquire about.

"Yes?" Hinata stammered.

"I was just wondering," Naruto said calmly, "why are there bags over at that end of the room? Is someone going anywhere?"

Hinata looked over at the area he beckoned towards and noticed he was referring to her bags.

"Those are mine," she said quietly and solemnly, "I'm going off to boarding school soon."

Naruto's eyes widened at the news and he almost fell out of the chair, "what? Why?"

"My dad wants me to concentrate on my studies," she muttered, "I'll be leaving end of this week."

"That's in… four days!" Naruto gasped loudly, "this majorly sucks! I'm going to miss you Hinata."

Hinata's cheeks flushed with that comment and she smiled sweetly, "I'm going to miss you too, Naruto kun."

_Buzz_.

Hinata sighed.

"I'm going to the toilet for a moment," Hinata said as she got up from her seat, "you stay here and continue searching."

As soon as she was out of his sight, she whipped out her cellphone and read the text Shikamaru sent her.

_Sasuke is in Konoha West under the alias of 'Kimimaro'. Tall with long white hair and red make up on the face. _

_I'm searching for him. I need back up over before school ends. _

Hinata glanced at her wrist watch and paled upon realizing that school would end in half in hour.

She immediately sent the text to the rest of the search party.

"Please find Sasuke," Hinata whispered under her breath, "please find him."

The rest replied with messages affirming that they're heading for Konoha West at this instant.

However, before Hinata can heave any sigh of relief, she remembered that Tsunade, Kurenai and Asuma would be on the look out for the rest of them; they need to be able to go to and enter the school unseen by these three people.

_Ino,_

Hinata started to enter a text for the aforementioned girl.

_Discreetly follow Tsunade around and keep us updated on her whereabouts. _

She started another text for Shikamaru.

_Shikamaru, _

_Tsunade, Kurenai and Asuma are keeping tabs on us so that they'll be able to find Temari and Sasuke; be unseen to the three of them. The rest are on they're way. _

"Hinata," Naruto's came up behind the girl shocking her.

"Oh my goodness!" Hinata yelped, literally jumping up in fright, "what is it Naruto?"

"I thought you were using the toilet?" Naruto questioned raising a brow, "what are you doing here?"

Hinata smiled innocently, "oh! My boarding school called me to enquire about my… dietary needs!"

Naruto kept his suspicious expression on for a few seconds before loosening up and grinning widely, "I was just wondering what the others are doing?"

"Oh," Hinata started slowly, unsure of what to say, "well…"

She knew if she told him that the rest are out asking around for Sasuke, Naruto would insist he joins them. And if she doesn't allow him to, he would find it all too suspicious. She also knew telling him that the rest are returning to school to look for Sasuke was out of the question as it would just drag another person into the whole case making it much more complicated than it already is. The question took her by surprise and she couldn't think of a proper lie quick enough to make it believable.

Considering that she spent way too much time thinking of a good lie, whatever she's going to tell him would be terribly unreliable. At that instant, she recalled what Sakura always does to get out of a difficult situation with Sasuke- change the subject.

Seeing how she has been silent for way too long, Hinata stuck with the first thing that came to mind.

"Naruto, I had a crush on you for a really long time," Hinata blurted without thinking too much.

As soon as she heard herself, she clamped her hands over her mouth in utter shock; she cannot believe she had just done that.

The look on Naruto's face was indescribable; it was a mixture of 'what the hell did I just hear' and 'what? She likes me?'.

Naruto opened his mouth to say something but he didn't know what to say, he was too much in shock to even think properly. In a way, Hinata did succeed but at her own expense.

"Sorry," she murmured quietly seeing how his lack of response could only mean that he doesn't return her feelings.

"Why are you saying sorry?" Naruto finally spoke but in a weak voice, "Hinata… I… I really don't know what to say."

Hinata shook her head and looked away, "you really don't have to say anything. I'm leaving anyway; I won't ever see you or anyone here ever again."

"I'm touched," Naruto said trying to sound as cheerful as he could instead of sounding so taken aback, "no one ever liked me before…"

Hinata took Naruto by the hand causing a red blush to spread across both of their faces. She led him fiercely to the door and pulled it open for him.

"You should leave," she muttered without looking at him, "I don't think I want to see you right now."

Naruto cautiously stepped out of the door fully understanding that Hinata was only chasing him out because she's embarrassed.

"You should go home," she told him before slamming the door shut in her face.

Once he's out of sight, she leant against the white mahogany door, sunk down in front of it and wept quietly.

* * *

It occurred to Shikamaru that Sasuke had been loitering around the vineyard before he saw Shikamaru.

"Why was he there?" he thought to himself in one of the deserted classrooms, "why is he looking for the cryptext there?"

He whipped out his phone and searched 'Vineyard' and 'Konoha West' on Google to form a connection.

Several results appeared seconds later and only one caught his eye: _Sunakagure Wine Tycoon to sell plot of land to Ministry to build High School. _

"The wineyard has a connection to Suna," Shikamaru thought excitedly, "Sasuke must've figured that the wine yard would be where the fourth cryptext is stored in.

"But," Shikamaru observed as he continued to read the article, "the wine yard has been completely demolished, there shouldn't be any part of the wine yard left."

He proceeded to search about 'Wine' on Google.

_Reasons why wine is stored underground. _

"Underground," Shikamaru pondered, "urgh. Troublesome. I'm assuming that they didn't destroy the underground winery.

"They probably have.

"But then again, there are no other possible locations… unless."

Shikamaru chanced upon his eureka moment.

He instantly recalls the instance when the whole group of them entered an abandon bomb shelter in the classroom but pushing the metal cupboard aside and going through the trapdoor. He clearly remembers seeing the blue print of the entire school on the table in the bomb shelter.

"If there's a winery," Shikamaru thought, "it would show."

He took out his cellphone and tried to get hold of Sai.

"Shikamaru," Sai said when he answered the phone.

"Where are you?" Shikamaru asked softly for fear a passerby might discover his not-so-secret hideout, "I need help urgently."

"I'm outside the school,"Sai answered calmly, "I'm going to contact Ino to see if it'll be safe to enter from the back."

"Ok," Shikamaru got up and peeked out into the empty corridor, "everyone's having Talent classes now," he whispered, "meet me in that classroom with the trapdoor."

"I'm guessing you have something planned."

"Yes, but I can't do it alone."

* * *

Ino's phone buzzed in her pocket scaring her.

She managed to sneak out of modeling class easily since Orochimaru sensei isn't around anymore. For the past hour, she has been sitting outside the general office keeping a watchful eye out for Tsunade. So far she hasn't stepped out of her office.

"Yes dearest?" she answered sweetly, overjoyed to receive a call from him during her boring job.

"Beautiful, I'm going to enter the school from the back," Sai answered, "cover me."

"Tsunade hasn't left the office yet," Ino replied in a much serious tone, "it's safe to enter."

"Thanks, be safe," Sai muttered, "it was hard to save you."

* * *

She has a good feeling about this.

There she stood, atop the ceramic tiles covering the very land the time capsule was buried in. Karin would've started digging the very moment she found the exact stop, but one thing's stopping her- it's located in the fucking center of the school!

"Urgh," she groaned, "WHY?"

She knew that the staff members would be out of the school by six, she doesn't waiting for them to leave. But as soon as they leave, the security cameras would be activated and there would be a guard patrolling the school. If the time capsule had been buried in a more… discreet place, she would take her chances and start digging when the clock strikes six. But since the time capsule is in the most exposed and most assessable place in the school, she has to think of another plan.

For the entire day, she has been loitering around marking the different locations of the security cameras. There are four overlooking the time capsule.

Karin knows that only one person would be in the school after six and this person would either be in the control room watching the security cameras or patrolling the school.

If guard were in the control room, he would jump into action as soon as she starts to cover up the cameras. If the guard were patrolling, the loud noises she makes while crushing the ceramic tiles would definitely draw his attention.

If she wants to do this successfully in the shortest possible time, she has to take out the guard first.

Or…

"Damn it," she mentally shouted at herself as she wondered about the school, "I have sensing abilities, why can't I just using them? Oh fuck. I need Suigetsu."

She called Suigetsu on his mobile desperately hoping he would pick up her call. Karin would demand for his help but chances are he is as tied up in his as she is.

"Yes doll face?" Suigetsu answered in a tone that annoyed her.

"I need your help," she said.

"Now?"

"Yes, now."

"Hm. Ok."

"Ok?" Karin asked flabbergasted, "what about your cryptext?"

"It's with me."

"What?" Karin was astonished at how fast and easily Suigetsu found his part of the code, "what does it look like?"

"I don't know," Suigetsu answered cheekily, "it's in the trophy, I have to melt the gold first."

"Fine," she muttered upset that she lost to him in their unofficial race, "just fucking come over."

The bell rang as soon as she hung up. That was a signal for her to start hiding as the teachers won't be too pleased to find a student still in school after schooling hours.

Karin opted for the library as her hiding place.

* * *

The bell rang when Sai met Shikamaru in the classroom. Shikamaru wasted no time and instructed Sai to lock all doors and seal all windows before pushing the metal cupboard aside to reveal the trapdoor.

"There were blue prints under the classroom when we last entered," Shikamaru explained when Sai questioned his intentions, "I need those blue prints to find out how I can get to the underground winery- assuming there is one."

Without further questioning, the two men lifted the cupboard, move it aside and soundlessly dropped it back on the ground.

"Stay here," Shikamaru said as he opened the trapdoor, "I'm going down to get the blue prints."

* * *

Sasuke has been in the library all day looking for any connection between Konoha West and Wine. It took quiet sometime but it finally hit him like a meteorite.

He was flipping through the yearbook when he saw a picture of Tsunade sensei in sitting in her office; to one side was a glass shelf filled with bottles and bottles of sake. That was the lead. Sasuke then researched about methods to store sake and found that the preferable conditions were very much similar to that of wine.

"It might be in her office," Sasuke thought to himself with newfound enthusiasm.

He was ready to jump out of his seat when he saw someone he knew enter the library- Haruno Sakura. That totally traumatized him; Sakura would recognize him in an instant, he has to avoid her.

Sasuke quietly slipped behind a non-fiction bookshelf and peeked at her from between the books. She did an overall scan of the library before deciding to check through the shelves individually. Sakura was frantically going around from shelf to shelf getting closer and closer to his. Sasuke timed himself and as soon as she cleared the shelf in front of him and approached his shelf, Sasuke swiftly raced to the shelf before his avoiding her gaze.

As soon as she was three shelves away, Sasuke stepped out from the shelf and briskly walked towards the exit. Running would attract too much attention and walking leisurely is just asking to be found.

Just as Sasuke laid his hands on the cool surface of the glass doors, he heard footsteps rapidly heading in his direction. Without wasting a second, Sasuke flung the door open and ran as fast as he could away from the library.

As he turned about the corner, he saw none other than Sakura tailing behind him. As much as he wanted to stop there and let her catch him, he couldn't, he has to hide from her, he has to find the cryptext so that he can return to her, that's the only way.

"Stop!" she yelled out in a exasperated voice, "stop, please."

Sasuke didn't.

Sakura isn't much of a runner, he knew, that's why he wasn't the least bit worried that she would soon catch up to him. What worried him was the back up she has in the school.

Apparently, thinking too much whilst running would be his downfall.

As he made another turn around the corner, he came face to face with nothing but another wall.

It's a dead end.

He cursed under his breath and attempted to run out before she corners him, but his plans were foiled when she emerged from the corner.

"Sasuke," was the first thing she said when she finally cornered him.

"What?" he tried to be surprised, "what are you talking about?"

"I know it's you," Sakura said between pants.

Under normal circumstances, Sasuke would've made use of his opponent's fatigue and beat the crap out of the person to escape. But this is Sakura and he would never do anything to hurt her.

"Sasuke," she heaved again, "why are you doing this?"

"I'm not-"

"Your voice! Your stance! Your physique!" she pointed out in utter annoyance, "I know you Sasuke. Anyone would've pushed me aside to get away, but you wouldn't, you won't hurt me."

"What the…" Sasuke frantically thought to himself, "she's reading me like one of her books."

He glanced at his watch- five thirty; Tsunade should be out of her office by now. He needs to get out of this as soon as possible before someone finds them and chases them out of the school. If that happens, he wouldn't be able to assess the winery.

* * *

"Here," Shikamaru pointed to a part of the map when he emerged from the bomb shelter, "we assess the winery from here- Tsunade's office."

Sai's ears perked up, he anxiously looked at Shikamaru, "someone's coming."

"The patrol," Shikamaru thought aloud, "the cupboard."

The two boys hurriedly shifted the cupboard to it's original position; concealing the trapdoor. They then rushed to unlock the doors and hid behind the teacher's desk. The door opened as soon as they were out of sight and the patrolman peeked into the classroom. Seeing there wasn't anyone in the classroom, he switched off the lights proceeded to the next classroom.

They only left the hiding spot when Sai could hear the patrolman no more.

* * *

"Are you here alone?" Sasuke asked in his normal voice giving his identity away.

"No," Sakura replied, "why?"

"Who did you come with?" Sasuke asked realizing that his current predicament would provide others the opportunity to retrieve the cryptext, he's sure that they already knew about it.

"Why?"

"Who did you come with?" Sasuke insisted.

Sakura phone started to ring. Hesitantly, she picked it up.

"Yes?" she answered with her eyes still on Sasuke, "what?"

The caller- Ino- informed her that the patrolman has chased Shino and herself out of the school; she only has Shikamaru and Sai to aid her.

"Where are they?" Sakura asked anxiously.

Whilst she's talking on the phone, Sasuke made formulated a plan to escape from her without causing her any harm.

Once she hung up the phone, Sasuke grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into the open corridor.

"Hurry," he whispered quietly to her, "if we want to get out of this alive we have to get out of here as soon as possible. Who else is with you?"

He twisted the whole thing, he made it seem as though he's going to help them now.

"Shikamaru and Sai," Sakura answered without thinking too much, "they're going to find the cryptext. Sasuke, what are you doing?"

"I need to bring you to safety," he answered urgently, pulling her closer and closer to the front of the school, "I have to warn them."

Then, he heard what he has been searching for: The patrolman.

Carefully, he brought Sakura to the edge of the corridor, stopping just before they entered the main hallway where the patrolman is. He covered her mouth with his hand and waited for the patrolman to come closer and closer to them.

Sakura thought that Sasuke planned on exiting the school once the patrolman walks by them but she thought wrong.

When Sasuke felt the patrolman is near enough, he pushed Sakura out into the open hallway, exposing her to the patrolman. He immediately caught sight of her and started to chase after her. She didn't have much time to react before he caught her; all she saw was Sasuke escaping into the darkness from the corner of her eye.

"I must warn Shikamaru and Sai," she thought as the man pulled her out of the school.

* * *

As Sasuke backed into the darkness, he heard, at a distance, the sound of multiple footsteps. Agilely, Sasuke crept close to the corner to prevent himself from being seen.

"The patrolman went that way," whispered a recognizable voice.

"Sai," Sasuke muttered under his breath as he inched closer to the edge to get a view of the two people.

"We have to keep a look out for Sasuke," Shikamaru told Sai in a hushed tone.

* * *

Sakura reached into her back pocket to find it empty.

In a panic, she ran through all her pockets in search of her phone to no avail, it isn't with her.

"Sasuke took it," she concluded, "that… bastard!"

At lost as to what to do, Sakura started to yell out Ino and Shino's names in hopes that would hear her cried and come flocking to her.

* * *

As they rushed past him towards the general office, Sasuke took out something he nabbed from Sakura- her cellphone.

Swiftly, he sent a text to Sai giving him the impression that it was Sakura that sent him the text.

_INO HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED. _

As soon as he sent the message, he heard the treading coming to a halt. Sai must've stopped Shikamaru when he saw the dreadful message from 'Sakura'.

"Ino," he told Shikamaru apprehensively, with more emotion Shikamaru had ever heard him use, "she's been kidnapped _again_."

"Call Sakura."

Sasuke stiffened at Shikamaru's suggestion.

He watched the phone come to live as it vibrated with an incoming call from Sai. He rejected the call and immediately sent another text to Sai.

_My battery is running low. Sai, go look for Ino; I have Sasuke cornered, he won't hurt me. _

"You should go," Shikamaru told Sai when they received the message, "since Sakura has an eye on Sasuke, I'll be fine on my own."

Sasuke heard as Sai took off, fleeing the school in search of Ino. He's plan would work perfectly if Sai doesn't find Ino before Shikamaru finds the cryptext. Sasuke figured that with the added intelligence, Shikamaru would find the cryptext fastest than he ever would. Thus, he would leave the searching to Shikamaru and wait outside to ambush him when he running out with the cryptext in his hands.

He silently tailed Shikamaru as Shikamaru made his way to the general office.

* * *

Suigetsu just climbed into the school over the front gate as if it's a normal thing to do. He doesn't have to worry so much about the guard as he is able to liquefy whenever someone's approaching and appear as an innocent puddle of water.

It didn't take long for him to reach the library where Karin's hiding in. There, they plotted way to take out the guard.

"The school is huge!" Suigetsu exclaimed, "how are we going to find him?"

"That's why I called you," Karin explained, "I can find out where the guard is right here and now, but you have to help me."

"Oh… your weak sensing thingy eh?" Suigetsu smirked, "you locate him and I tackle?"

"_We_ locate him and you tackle."

"_We_?"

Karin sighed at how utterly lame her explanation is going to sound to him and how embarrassing it would be for her, "well… the thing is… my sensing abilities… yeah, well they're only active when you're with me."

Suigetsu raised a brow and smirked brazenly, "when I'm with you? Hah. You have the hots for me doll face."

Karin rolled her eyes, "I thought we've already established that," she took a step towards him closing the distance between them, "now," she looking into his amethyst eyes, "_kiss me_, Hozuki."

He smiled smugly, "gladly."

Suigetsu entwined his arms around Karin's slim waist and she snaked her arms around his neck. His lips crashed onto hers violently and they entered a series of boisterous and amorous kisses on the lips.

Suigetsu rammed her against on of the nearby pillars and started to send his lustful kisses down her jawline, her neck and to her collarbone. Karin hiked up her left leg and pulled it round Suigetsu's waist. He brought his hands to her thighs and hoisted her up giving her leverage to wrap her other leg around his waist suspending her in midair.

"I heard," Karin whispered softly into his ears as he sends more intense kisses around her neck, "that male sharks have a very strong sexual drive."

"Only if their mate is _treacherously hot_," Suigetsu said in between kisses.

Karin giggled at his remark and kissed the top of his head affectionately, she'll _probably_ never ever let him go now.

"Suigetsu," she pulled away from him, "he's coming towards us; we're making too much noise."

She loosen her hold on his waist and fell back graciously on land.

Suigetsu passed Karin a large golden trophy, "hold this for me."

He spun around and cracked a few knuckles while waiting for the guard to come.

"We'll continue this later," Karin whispered into his ear from behind him.

Emerging from the darkness, the guard was holding a baton, prepared to knock anyone down. When he saw the two teenagers in front of him, he relaxes and kept his baton.

"What are you kids doing here?" he asked angrily.

"Waiting for you?" Suigetsu told him confidently taking a step towards the man.

"Waiting for me?" the guard growled defiantly, "for what?"

Suigetsu smirked flashing his sets of razor sharp teeth.

"Oh my fuck," the guard yelped as he took a few steps back, "what happened to your teeth?"

"No," Suigetsu said calmly as he paced towards the man, "the question is: what's going to happen to _you_?"

* * *

Shikamaru managed to pick the lock into the general office and the lock into Tsunade's office. The first thing he saw was the shelf of sake bottles neatly lined in perfect rows. This would be the perfect place for a winery.

He inspected the shelf and gently knocked against the wall.

"It's hollow," he noted, "there's something behind this."

He carefully pushed the shelf away to reveal a hidden door. It wasn't locked and thus, Shikamaru entered effortlessly. Behind the door was a flight of stairs leading to what seems like a basement. From on top, Shikamaru could already smell the strong scent of old wine and sake. He walked down the stairs aware that the architecture here dates back to the war period.

Once he got to the bottom, he searched for a switch to illuminate the dark room. In no time, his hands trailed over a tiny lever that Shikamaru tugged on hoping that it's just the switch.

The basement lights lit up row by row starting from the foremost row and slowly brightening up the rest of the basement. What he saw was beyond him; endless rows of wine that stretched on and on.

Shikamaru didn't tarry any longer, he tried to understand the way the wine was organized and tried to look for the most plausible connection between the wine and the war.

"Country," he muttered immediately knowing where he's supposed to go.

He ran towards the shelf in hopes of sieving out the correct bottle as soon as possible. One thing that struck him was the amount of dust on the bottles, they're all so dusty, they looks as if they've been there for years and years untouched.

"But," he thought to himself, "this bottle was last touched a few years back… there shouldn't be too much dust."

He scanned through each shelf searching for the bottle with the least dust and in no time, he found it.

It's a crystal bottle with a white cork and a smooth, transparent surface. Shikamaru observed that there isn't any wine in the bottle but as he spun the bottle around to look for clues, he noticed some inscription at the back of the label.

Upon closer scrutiny, he discerned that the inscriptions were but a series of possible random numbers.

That was when Shikamaru realized he held the fourth cryptext.

* * *

Juugo stood in front of a statue in the middle of the school. He watched it intently as if it were to move if he blinks an eye.

Prior to that, Juugo managed to lock the guard in the guardhouse by jamming the door with an arrow. He used the sheer accuracy he adopted from Aki to accurately hit the door exact on the lock.

Now, he is planning to smash the statue with his bare hands, as he could find nothing helpful around to aid him.

He had both hands on either side of the statue and hoisted it out of its stand. When he was in Konoha East, he watched three men carry the statue out of the stand so a fourth man can clean the stand properly. Even with three men, the statue was still too heavy to be held more than two minutes long.

However, as Juugo exerted his whole body's strength in efforts to lift the statue, the mark he adopted from Anko started to grow, spreading down to his biceps and cross his back. It injected an extra boost of strength into the man allowing him to slowly hoist up the statue high enough and tossing it into the air.

It flew up ten feet before fall down with a loud smash. The crumbling of the marble statue made the area smoky with dense white fumes. Juugo didn't wait for the fumes to settle, he made his way through the shards towards a metal cylinder in the middle of the debris.

Juugo picked it up and opened the container to find a parchment with a series of numbers written on it.

Satisfied, he headed out of the school and back to the secret hideout.

* * *

They tied up the man and tossed him into the nearest janitor's closet.

Suigetsu and Karin headed for the spot the time capsule was buried in with an axe, a shovel and a few portable Bunsen burners Suigetsu stole from a lab.

Whilst Suigetsu tried to crack open the ceramic tiles with an axe, Karin squatted at a side and watched the Bunsen burners melt the gold trophy slowly.

"If it's real gold," Suigetsu said as he brought the axe down on the tiles, "we shouldn't let it melt away like that."

"Believe me," Karin snorted at the sight before her, "this is far from real gold. Gold melts at really high temperatures, this… this is some pussy metal; melting at the mercy of merely four Bunsen burners. Psh. It's probably zinc."

Suigetsu chuckled, "so you do have something in that pretty little head of yours."

He stopped hammering down on the tiles when the pieces of tiles are detached enough to remove. Afterwards, he commenced his digging with a newfound vigor.

Karin was enchanted as she watched Suigetsu's muscular arms remove chunks of sand from the land. She admired the way his body twisted in an immensely sexy way under his muscle tee and adored the beads of sweat that rolled down his face.

Though he's in the image of Sakon, she found everything about the way he worked extraordinarily attractive.

He stopped for a moment to wipe off the sweat from his forehead and proceeded to striping off his sweat-drenched shirt. Karin's heart palpitated at an incredible rapidity at the sight of a sweat, half-naked Suigetsu.

She swooned.

That settles it; she's _never_ going to let him go.

* * *

Shikamaru cautiously stepped out of the general office, wary of the guard patrolling the area. When he realized the coast was clear, he made his way towards the entrances of the school.

But before he could venture further than two steps, the patiently waiting Sasuke blocked his path.

He groaned at his current predicament. Things cannot get anymore troublesome than this.

"Hand it over," Sasuke said, "hand it over and you'll leave this school unharmed."

Shikamaru knew Sasuke meant what he said. Shikamaru also knew that if they were ever engaged in a fight, Sasuke would probably have him down in a single move.

"Sasuke, you don't have to do this," Shikamaru attempted to reason with him, "Orochimaru is going to use this to harm everyone."

"He injected something into me," Sasuke stated monotonously, "if I don't get him the cryptext, I'm going to die anyways, it's just a matter of when. But that isn't the biggest problem. He knows all my friends, he knows who to threaten me with and where he can find them, I have to do this. There is no other way," Sasuke stretched his hand towards Shikamaru, "hand it over."

Shikamaru is well aware that more reasoning would merely be a waste of breath. After taking another clear look at the back of the label, Shikamaru complied and handed the bottle to Sasuke.

Sasuke took the bottle from his, studied it quickly and left in a flash leaving Shikamaru alone in the school.

"The important thing are the numbers," Shikamaru thought, "having the bottle is useless."

* * *

Sai followed the voice and found Sakura standing in front of the school calling out for Ino and Shino.

"Sakura," he grabbed her by the arm, "what are you doing?"

"Sasuke took my phone!" she said excited to have met him, "I need to use your phone to-" she paused abruptly, "why are you here? Where's Shikamaru?"

Sai shook his head clearly upset with himself, "Sasuke has your phone? He texted me that Ino was kidnapped and… I left Shikamaru."

"ALONE WITH SASUKE?" Sakura yelled in sheer panic, "call Shikamaru!"

Sai was on it in an instant. But as he pressed the 'call' button and listened to the ringing, he heard a faint tone in a distance. The pair looked around and saw Shikamaru emerging from the back of the school.

They ran up to him eager to find out what happened to him.

"Sasuke took the cryptext," Shikamaru announced rather calmly, "but before he could do so, I memorized the entire code. It's," he pointed to his head, "in here."

"Why is he doing this?" Sakura moaned.

"Because if he doesn't," Shikamaru said solemnly, "you would be in danger."

* * *

"Found it!" Suigetsu exclaimed emerging from the pit with a metal cylinder in his hands.

Karin waved a smaller golden cylinder at him, "got yours already! Now this," she clicking the metal cylinder with her nails, "is legit gold."

"Come," he said as he turned the cylinder open, "it should be in here."

There was a 'swoosh' sound when Suigetsu unscrewed the lid. The two looked into the cylinder to find stacks of letters in pink envelops. Suigetsu groaned when he poured the entire contents out; there were at least a hundred envelops to rip open and read through. After all that digging and hammering, he is in no mood for reading.

Karin sighed and started to open the first letter whilst Suigetsu tortured the cylinder with his teeth.

"Karin," Suigetsu beckoned her over and forced her to look into the cylinder, "doesn't the base look too… high?"

"You're saying this has a false base?" she asked, "where's the axe?"

She grabbed the axe that laid on the ground beside her and hammered the base of the cylinder under she punctured a hole. Suigetsu enlarged the hole easily to reveal a secret compartment.

"Thank the sharks I'm sharp and observant," Suigetsu praised himself shamelessly, "get the code and lets leave this shit hole."

* * *

Orochimaru pieced together the four cryptexts and smiled to himself.

"Good job kids," he said grimly, "good job."

"The antidote," Sasuke growled, "as promised."

Orochimaru nodded as he kept the four cryptexts, "I can't give it to you now."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BITCH?" Suigetsu yelled as he attempted to punch Orochimaru in the face but was held back by Juugo.

"I'll only pass it to you when we have the book."

Sasuke could only stare that the white man leave the room as Suigetsu and Karin threw all the curses they knew at him and Juugo held them back. He couldn't believe his ears.

Orochimaru might get the book and he might not.

Sasuke might get to walk out of this place a free man or he might not.

He might get to see Sakura again or he might never.

"Damn it," he snarled as he slammed his fist against the metal table, "what the fucking hell? I should've seen this coming."

* * *

Shikamaru dropped by the video store to rent 'Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind' before returning home.

He sat in his home theatre with a bottle of water by him and watched the movie in solitude. To watch a movie he had once watched with Temari was like reliving the moment.

When the movie ended, he had pages and pages of notes written to help with building his assignment. Shikamaru glanced at the clock and found out it's already eleven; he had never been up this late before.

Sleepily, Shikamaru dragged his feet to his study to start with the construction of this troublesome machine.

* * *

When Sakura and Ino returned home, they found Hinata lying on the couch in a manner that reminder them of Temari. The girls smiled weakly as they shook Hinata awake.

"Hinata we're home…" Sakura announced to the sleepy girl, "without the cryptext and… without Sasuke."

"He got away?" she asked softly, "how? There were five of you and one of him."

"He… outsmarted us," Sakura said, "even with Shikamaru on our team."

Hinata nodded, "it's ok."

"How was Naruto?" Ino asked in efforts to change the subject.

Hinata frowned when she brought up the topic, "he has gone home."

Ino's eyes widened, "that persistent brat just went home? Whoa. How did you do it?"

"I confessed to him."

"YOU WHAT?"

"I confessed to him."

"And…?"

"He rejected me."

"Oh! Hinata! That brat shouldn't have! Who does he think he is?"

"It's ok. I'm… over it."

"Sakura!" Ino yelled to the missing girl, "come out and comfort poor Hinata!"

There wasn't a reply.

That scared the two girls. They rushed to look around the apartment for her.

Hinata found her lying face down on her bed with the pillow over her head to muffle out her cries.

"What happened?" Hinata asked Ino worriedly.

Ino sighed, "she found out that Sasuke is only doing what he's doing because he wants to protect her. Leave her alone, she'll be fine," Ino turned to Hinata, "you, on the other hand, are not."

The girl sighed, briskly walked away from the room back to the living room and laid on the couch.

"I don't want to talk about it," Hinata muttered, "let's drop it; we have more important things to do Ino, so please."

Ino gave Hinata a concerned look, "are you sure? We can talk about it Hina… we have-"

"Drop it," Hinata said is the darkest and most serious voice Ino has ever heard her use, "we have work to do. Before I leave."

In those words, Ino found a different Hinata; a new, powerful, brave and determined Hinata that is ready to fight through it all. It brought a tiny smile on her face to see that Hinata's 'loss' can be such a blessing in disguise and it filled her with a sense of respect for that girl for she had harnessed the feelings accumulated from her rejection as a force towards becoming a stronger person.

"Ok, girl," Ino exclaimed as she took a seat next to Hinata.

"Let's go."

_~End of Chapter Twenty Four~_

A/N: Sooooo I hope that wasn't too disappointing. I'll but posting the next chapter somewhere around next month. It's tiring to write long chapters!I always get really nervous when posting chapters! .


	25. Episode Twenty Five: Star-crossed Lovers

A/N: I got into the best University in my country. (It's a small country) Yeah! Let's celebrate with a new chapter! I'm sorry this took long, I've been busy with University Applications! They're hellish!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I never will.

* * *

He spent the whole night trying to piece together his mind-altering machine for submission today morning. It was a tough struggle to come up with the science and workings behind the machine but an even tougher job to develop the idea.

As Shikamaru glanced around the classroom, he can't help but marvel at all the different machines his classmates developed in such a short time like himself. They look pleased and worried at the same time. Before he could allow his mind to wander any further, a male walked into the classroom with a cage of guinea pigs on one hand and a miniature labyrinth on the other.

"I assume that you have your machines before you today," he asked with a nasally voice as he gently placed the cage of guinea pigs on the table and the labyrinth on another, "to test your machines, we would be using guinea pigs!" he mentioned to the cage, "these guinea pigs have been trained to reach the end of this labyrinth without making any mistakes and retracing their steps. Your job today would be to make them forget their footing and lose their way."

The male whipped out a clipboard from his lab coat and called out the first student to present their work.

The trails went on for 2 hours and the people before Shikamaru either failed to make the guinea pig forget, killed the guinea pig or their machine seized to work.

"Nara Shikamaru," the man called.

Shikamaru stood up coolly with his contraption in one hand and paced to the front of the classroom to work his magic.

"Ok, now here we go," the man said as he placed the guinea pig at the entrance of the labyrinth.

Shikamaru had his fingers crossed at the guinea pig made several right turns here and there. This project has to work, this would only bring his closer to resolving the whole matter and bringing Temari out of hiding and, god, he missed her so.

"It seems we have our first successful experiment," the man said breaking Shikamaru from his thoughts, "lets try this on a few more guinea pigs before we are sure of it's success, shall we?"

Shikamaru's heart only blossomed with every guinea pig that failed to reach the end. His project is working perfectly.

After the tenth guinea pig and after watching the same failure over and over again, the man was sure enough to award Shikamaru an A. He then requested that Shikamaru teach the class on the workings of the machine as well as it's operation.

It took Shikamaru an hour to explain everything full so the class of geniuses would comprehend his creation. Whilst he was presenting, he couldn't help but feel that the man was marking him down with his gaze. From the front of the classroom, Shikamaru noticed, for the first time, how protected this room is. There were cameras at every corner watching every angle.

"Thank you Shikamaru," the man said when Shikamaru was done, "now that we have that settled," he pulled out a stack of papers from his desk, "like every school would be administer a pop quiz; so return to your seats and get your stationery ready for this is going to challenge your limits," he handed out the worksheet to every student, "you're not restricted to any subject, any topic… there are no limitations and no time limits. Complete this test or fail to carry on in this school." He glanced at his watch, "you may begin."

Everyone was on it in no time, so was Shikamaru. He noticed that the sheet of paper contained nothing but numbers from top to bottom and that's when it struck him- the crytext. He quickly scanned the paper and found the set of numbers he memorized from the forth cryptext. A sudden worry struck him; he glanced around the room and realized that though he might be the only one with the successful mind altering machine, he might not be the only one to solve this code. The more Shikamaru inspected the classroom, the greater his concerns grew.

"But of course," he thought to himself, "the mind altering machine is to erase the memory of those who solved the code! Damn it! So much trouble for my own demise. Troublesome."

Shikamaru has to be the only one to solve the code and he can't let anyone know that. He considered calling for help, but his cries of aid would only be seen by one of the many cameras.

Just as he was at loss as to what he should do next, a boy from the first row raised his hand. His actions shocked Shikamaru; he couldn't believe that someone could've solved the crytext so quickly.

The examiner paced towards the boy in hurried footsteps and bent over to observe his work. However, the boy stopped him.

"Damn this school," he said a loud unfazed by the examination setting, "I give up on this test, I'm going back to _normal_ school."

With that, the boy got up and walked out of the classroom. The examiner did nothing to stop the boy nor did he send anyone after him, the man just kept whatever was left on the desk and resumed his job.

Shikamaru took that as an answer to his way out; he has to memorize the code, bail from the classroom and return home to solve the code before anyone else in the classroom solves it.

* * *

She waited until the entire hideout fell into a stable silence before she stepped out of her assigned room to venture around the place for an exit. Outside stood the usual table with stray pieces of paper all over and at the other end of the room beheld her exit and the only way to exit from the hideout.

Briskly, she made her way to the metal door and tried her luck with it. None- it won't budge. She frantically looked around for any sign of help like a key or a button to open the door but all she was greeted with was a digital combination pad.

"Really?" she groaned as she allowed her shoulders to fall, "there is absolutely no way I would be able to crack the combination! Damn."

Temari started to walk back to her room with little hopes of retrieving the necklace that is so vital for the book. She considered calling Shikamaru for help but when she thought about it more, she realized that the only reason she hasn't been in contact with Shikamaru was for his and her safety.

When all hope was lost, Temari's eyes caught sight of an object that had always been there but she never paid much attention too- a wall clock. As she was about to turn away, she noticed something very peculiar about it- it told the wrong time.

"Why would the Akatsuki keep a clock that tells the wrong time," she asked herself, "in their meeting room too."

Then a possibility struck her.

Temari ran towards the digital combination pad and entered the time shown onto the clock into the pad.

**UNLOCKED**

She did a small leap of success when the metal door popped open automatically as the right combination had been entered. Without a moment's delay, Temari raced out of the hideout set for the apartment.

* * *

"They're all coming," Hinata said after she got off the phone with Neji, "Neji's going over to get Tenten, she's being discharged today. And Shikamaru's doing some inside work in his school."

Ino flipped her phone close and beamed at the girls, "Naruto is our look out today! He'll inform us of any Asu-Kure activities!"

Sakura nodded at the two girls as she continued to make markings on the map of Konoha. Ino and Hinata came next to her to look.

"I'm marking out all places that Sasuke definitely would not be at," she explained as she continued to make more X's around the map, "I'm also marking out all the places we've investigated yesterday. How the scanning going Hina?"

Hinata walked over to the computer to check the scanning progress, "nope, it hasn't progressed much in picking up Sasuke's hand phone signal. Maybe they're underground Sakura."

Sakura sighed and reclined back in her seat. She hasn't been able to sleep a wink last night due to what happened in the school. Hinata and Ino would never ask about it but Sakura cried for a few hours into the night.

"I think Sai's here," Ino said in a less than chirpy voice, "I hear his car pulling up!"

True enough, two men made their way to the front of their porch to ring the doorbell. Sakura prepared herself and made herself presentable by washing herself whilst Ino pranced toward the door to welcome her boyfriend and his brother.

"Good morning sunshine," Sai greeted her like how he normally would and gave her a peck on the forehead like how she likes it before entering the house.

The brothers made themselves comfortable around the dining table with Hinata and Ino. They were discussing about Hinata's transfer when Sakura came out from the toilet.

"I've heard America is an awesome place!" Ino exclaimed joyfully, "and the branded stuff there go for a cheaper price!"

Shino nodded, "we've been there a few times," he looked towards Sai's, "with the brothers and our foster parents for some kind of back packing trip, it was pretty awesome. They have some awesome natural reserves with tons of amazing bugs."

"Art is everywhere," Sai added, "the architecture, the people… everything is a work of art."

Ino took Hinata's hands excitedly, "art! You'll like it there! I'm so happy for you!"

"We'll send you off on Saturday," Sakura said, joining in on the conversation, "me and Ino that is, I don't know about you guys."

"Definitely," Sai smiled, "wouldn't miss it for the world."

The doorbell interrupted their talk. Ino was, yet again, the one to answer it. As she threw the door open to welcome the people, she couldn't help but break down in tears when she saw Tenten. The blonde did not hold back and hugged her girl in her most loving bear hug. It took Tenten several seconds to process that the only person wild enough to do such a thing would, undoubtedly, be Ino.

"Are we late?" she asked whilst in the tight embrace.

"Better late than never Tennie," Ino muttered through her tears, "better late than dead."

Tenten sniffed a little upon hearing Ino's touching remark, "I missed you guys so much. I miss Temari a hell lot."

* * *

Shikamaru raised his hand.

The examiner was by his side in an instant. Shikamaru gave a tired, restless look and slumped in his seat for effect.

"I give up," he muttered with an almost drowsy voice, "I'm getting out of here."

All the man did was give Shikamaru a knowing look, gave him a few pats on the back and wished him the best of luck. Shikamaru then got up and briskly made his way to the exit. He didn't really shred the act until he was at least a few blocks from the school and even then, he still felt as if he was being watched.

With the numbers of the code firmly imprinted in his head, Shikamaru made his way to the girl's apartment to spill the code and solve it.

* * *

"Where's Shikamaru?" Shino asked casually observing that the said boy isn't present.

"He's out carrying out some…" Ino thought for a moment, "_fieldwork_."

"Fieldwork?" Sai grinned, "you mean he has a lead?"

"His school," Sakura explained, "he suspects that his school has some links to the cryptexts. After all, someone has to piece the puzzles together and break the code. Anyway, here's what we've got so far," Sakura said as she spread out her map across the table for the gang to see, "the red crosses are areas that we have investigated."

Shino pointed to several spots, "I suggest to we checks on these areas every so often, they seem like convenient places to move into."

Neji was reclined in his seat shuffling his tarot cards in his hands, "well, we shouldn't search too hard though. Granted we're narrowing down the places Sasuke might be at, but we're, too, zoning in on Temari- we really can't _accidentally_ find her, we're always being watched by Tsunade and now, quite possibility, the Ministry."

* * *

If it hadn't been for Shikamaru's keen eye, he wouldn't have noticed a familiar face amongst the crowd whilst he was making his way to the girls' apartment. It took him several seconds to pin a name to the green haired, partially pale, partially dark male with an inhumanly tall stature.

"Zetsu," he thought to himself sounded slightly panicky in his head, "what is he doing here?"

Given the current circumstance, he decided against approaching Zetsu, in fact, he thought breaking the crytexts to be a matter of higher urgency and thus, he headed towards the apartment.

The further he ventured, though; he couldn't help but notice how Zetsu has been using the exact same path as him. He felt like a stalker; following Zetsu into clearer paths.

Shikamaru half prayed that Zetsu wouldn't feel his presence and half wished that he and Zetsu as not due for the same destination.

However, his fears were affirmed when Zetsu stopped abruptly on the street across the girls' apartment. Thankfully for Shikamaru rather quick reflexes, he withdrew himself and hid behind a wall; thus having a clear view of Zetsu, the road and the house.

Shikamaru watched as Zetsu pulled out his cellphone from his pocket and dialed a number.

"Pein," Zetsu spoke when his call was answered, "she's in the apartment. What do I do?"

* * *

Temari managed to agiley sneak into the house she knew so well about through the bedroom room window at the back of the house. Before she did so though, she made sure that absolutely everyone and anyone in the house was accounted for in the dinning room.

The room hasn't changed much since she left; Sakura's books are everywhere, Tenten's game sets are strewn across the floor, Hinata has her painting materials laid out in a neat corner and Ino's clothes decorated the whole place.

But she didn't come her to reminiscence the past, she came her for the necklace.

Temari quietly crossed the room for the drawer she kept all her items in. She was careful when pulling open the drawer for it makes a kinds of old, worn screechy sound when moved. It took her while to move aside everything neatly to retrieve a case she hid so deep in the drawer. After that, she was careful to place everything back to its original position as if it hadn't been tampered with.

She opened the case and lifted the necklace to observed its splendor. It reminded her so much of one of those trinkets Ino hung on her bracelet. It's been such a long time since she last accessed the necklace; so much so, the key has formed a permanent indent on the sponge lining of the case.

It took a lot of will power not to go out into the dining room, where everyone is at, and give each of them a hug so that they'll know she's alright.

"_I've also found out that Tsunade is trying to track down the Akatsuki, I believe she intends on killing them. She believes Temari is with them, but she doesn't care even though Temari was never her target." _

Temari overheard Sakura's loud voice saying.

"_Well, is she with the Akatsuki?" _

Shino.

"_We can't be too sure. But whatever it is, it might pose as a threat."_

As she walks by the bedroom door, she is stopped by the sound of a ringing phone. In a moment's panic, she searches for her phone only to discover that the Akatsuki took her's away. It then dawned on her that the ringing was coming from the house phone.

"_Hello?" _

She recognized the chirpy voice as Ino.

"_Mrs Ten! Yes, Tenten is here with us. Yes, the doctor's discharged her earlier today so Neji brought her here, sorry we didn't mention it before… Oh yes. Yup, she's fine." _

Upon the mentioning of her foster parents, Temari can't help but feel overwhelming guilty for putting them through so much. Even worse, for lying to them; she heard it from Kakashi and Anko about the National lie Gaara made to assure everyone that Temari's in Suna with him.

"_Hey Mum." _

This voice belongs to Tenten.

"_Gosh, I'm fine, you don't have to worry so much; Neji's taking good care of me. Hahaha… Very funny, you make it sound as if I've lost all my limbs! I'm only blind, no biggie." _

Temari had to cover her mouth to prevent her gasp from escaping. She wishes she didn't hear it correctly, but she knew she did- Tenten is blind.

Deciding that things were too much for her to handle and that if she lingered longer, she might just give herself away, Temari threw all her worry aside and headed to the window with the necklace at hand.

But the luggages at the side of Hinata's bed stopped her.

She examined the bag tags and it indicated an American address to deliver the bag to in case it got lost.

"Hinata's going to America?" Temari thought to herself, "what?"

She walked over to Hinata's dresser and quickly found her flight details written on a slip she has on the table.

"She's migrating? I-"

_Scaaaaaa scaaaaaa_

She glanced at the object creating the sound- Pochi. There was slight panic that rose in her chest, she quickly made her way to the animal and gave it a stroke.

Temari knew she had to leave now, but there's something holding her back. She isn't sure if bringing the necklace back to the Akatsuki would be more good than bad. After all, they haven't been clear about their intentions for helping her. Additionally, she has this rising suspicion that they're only keeping her safe for reasons such as the existence of such a necklace.

_Scaaaaaa scaaaaaa_

"Quiet Pochi!" she hissed at the creature, "shush!" '

"POCHI! QUIETEN DOWN! WE'RE HAVING AN ADULT CONVERSATION HERE!" Ino hollered from the dining room.

Without time to go back to the drawer to hid the necklace back in it's original position, Temari turned to hiding the key in Ino's bracelet.

_Scaaaaaa scaaaaaa_

Everything happened so quickly; she pocketed the case and pulled the key from the necklace, slid it onto Ino's bracelet effectively hiding it among the other charms. She swipe one of the many picture she had of her foster parents before she made a run for it.

Seconds after exiting through the window did Ino enter the room to check up on Pochi.

As she turned to leave, she spots Zetsu walking up to her from across the street. She made no attempt to run for she knew it would be futile, instead, she walked up him meeting him halfway.

"You're going to reprimand me for sneaking out," she predicted, "I missed my friends, what can I do?"

Zetsu's expression did not change, "I trust you're not dumb enough to make them aware of your presence."

Temari smiled, "of course not. Let go back."

* * *

When Shikamaru observed Zetsu walking towards the house, he instantaneous pulled out his cell to warn his friends.

However, the mere sight of Temari froze his actions. He watched as Temari calmly walked up at Zetsu and merrily conversed with him as if nothing's wrong.

It was agonizing to watch them walk away like old friends that haven't met in a long time. He wanted so much to go up to her and steal her away from Konoha and away from all this mess… but he can't; the mess is bound to follow them.

* * *

As Temari and Zetsu disappear off in a distance and Shikamaru heads into the house, a familiar figure stops outside of the house to retrieve something Temari miss placed- a photo.

"Oorchimaru, this is Haku," said the person, "I have something very interesting to share with you…"

* * *

"Shikamaru?" Ino asked, puzzled, when she greeted the door, "what are you doing here?"

"Temari just left the house?" he asked without answering her question.

Ino's eyes grew wide, "no… we haven't seen her… what do you mean?"

Pochi made a dash for Shikamaru from the dining table where he laid on and clawed onto his leg demanding Shikamaru to pick him up.

Ino seem to connect many things together during that short period as she gasped out loud.

"Gosh, no wonder Pochi was being unusually skippy today!" she exclaimed, "he must've saw Temari!" she paused and frowned, "but why didn't we see her?"

"It must've been for your safety," Shikamaru said entering the house with Pochi in his arms, "where was Pochi?"

"In our room," Ino answered, "oh. Oh. What was Temari doing in the room?"

The rest heard what Ino had to say and their ears perked up instantly. For Hinata and Sakura they got up from their seats prepared to react when necessary, for Tenten, she spun towards the direction of Shikamaru's voice with an empty yet expectant gaze.

"To leave a note? To give you guys something? To take something?" Sai suggested.

"I think you guys should check," Shino said looking that the present four occupants of occupants of the room.

Without thinking too much, Sakura, Ino and Hinata left for the room to identity any possible changes.

Whilst they were working on that, Shikamaru copied out the whole code from memory and presented it to the remaining few left on the table.

"This," he beckoned to the series of numbers, "is the code; the combination of all the crytexts."

Neji, Shino and Sai stared wide-eyed at the document in front of them while Tenten merely sat on her chair helplessly. It took the three boys a few minutes of examination before concluding that they are unable to solve the code.

Shikamaru sighed and decided to take matters into his own hands and attempt to solve the code before any one in the academy does.

* * *

"Juugo," Sasuke called out from his cell, "how _did_ you get your part of the cryptext anyway?"

"Mine was hidden within this marble monument of the school's crest," Juugo explained, "all I had to do would be to smash the marble and retrieve the cryptext. Why?"

"Well," Sasuke flipped through the pages of the newspaper, "it says here that something incredibly strong must have caused the marble monument to crumble like it did. Care to explain that?"

Juugo remained silent for a while, "well, I kind of have some unexplained form of super strength."

Sasuke stood up from his position and held the bars of his cell, "then why didn't you help us break out of this goddamn place earlier?"

"He said he would let us go with the antidote."

"Only if he finds the Book!" Sasuke argued.

"If we break out like that, we won't get the antidote," Juugo retorted calmly.

"I know where the antidote is," Suigetsu joined in the conversation enthusiastically, "but I need someone to cover me if we're going to go get it."

"Is this is a plan we're formulating?" Sasuke asked with the most enthusiasm anyone has ever heard from him.

Karin walked to the bars of her cell and looked at the other three with the most worried expression, "I can cover Suigetsu. I have sensing abilities, I would be able to sense when Orochimaru's coming."

"I like some peace guys."

"Come on Juugo!" Suigetsu whined, "we might never get out, do you really trust that old snake's words? Seriously?"

Karin tried to get as close to Juugo as possible and put on her best puppy-dog face, "please Juugo, I can't die here."

It took Juugo a while to consider his options and a little more to accept that there were none.

"Ok then. Sasuke, what do you have in mind?"

* * *

They've been searching the room for the pass four hours and there was nothing out of the ordinary. They can't spot the difference and identify what has been there or what isn't there anymore.

"Hinata!" Ino exclaimed amidst the search, "come over here! I have something for you!"

Hinata was by the blonde's side in seconds with a questioning look on her face. The blonde only responded by holding a charm bracelet out for her.

"This is for you," Ino beamed, "wear this and remember me forever."

Ino pulled Hinata's hand up and wrapped the bracelet around her wrist, "isn't it pretty? It's my favorite one… and I'm giving it to you."

The raven-haired girl smiled as she examined the little trinkets on the bracelet, "thanks Ino," she felt teary as she said it, "of course I'll remember you forever."

* * *

Temari felt a tugging on her shirt as she and Zetsu were walking through the crowd. Temari stiffened because she was certain that the tug meant someone saw through her disguise. She looked over to Zetsu for some kind of advice but Zetsu only beckoned her to respond to the tugging.

Temari spun around only to find a young boy around the age of four standing behind her. He was grinning and held out a photograph for her.

"I believe you lost this missus," he saw quickly in his childish voice, "bye!"

Temari took the photograph for him and heaved a sigh of relief; it was just a kind young boy returning the photograph she didn't realize she lost.

She turned to Zetsu who showed no care for what had just happened and they continued to make their way back to the hideout.

* * *

Shikamaru gathered all the working he made into a stack and stood up. The others looked at him questionably.

"It's getting late," he explained with a hint of lethargy in his voice, "I'll continue to solve this as soon as I get back home. I have more appropriate equipment at home to help me."

Sai nodded, "I'll inform the girls that you left. Tell us when you solve the code though."

Shikamaru smiled weakly, "if I can solve it."

* * *

Their plan is flawless.

Juugo is to pull apart his bar to escape from his cell, then he'll help crack open the glass closure of Suigetsu's cell to allow Suigetsu to seep through the cracks. Karin would be the next one to be released. While Juugo is working on releasing Sasuke, Suigetsu would help activate Karin's sensing abilities to help pinpoint Orochimaru's location.

When the coast is clear, they would exit the dungeon facility and Suigetsu would lead them to Kabuto's room where he knew the antidote would be at.

They'd steal a sufficient amount of antidote and follow Juugo out of the place, as he knew the place well enough to get out cleanly.

Since the hideout is located in a forest on the outskirts of Konoha, they would find the nearest stream to rest and inject the antidote into their system. After that, all they have to do would be to follow the stream upstream to Konoha.

"We strike first thing tomorrow morning," Suigetsu suggested, "ever since he brought me in, I've always noted that he'd leave in the morning to report to Danzo. That's how I found the opportunity to go out every once in a while… but back then, it was easier to roam around, Orochimaru knew I would always come back because he has the fucking antidote to hold me down and because he could take me on alone."

Sasuke took his phone out of his pocket, prepared to set an alarm to waste no time the next morning, "what time do you suggest we get going?"

Suigetsu thought for a moment, "eight."

* * *

Much to Temari's surprise, the rest of the Akatsuki didn't seem bothered by the fact that she sneaked out of the hide out. In fact, they were almost nonchalant. She entered the hideout during the middle of a meeting session. Kakashi and Anko just nodded at her as she freely walked by the table into her room.

When she's alone, Temari took out the photograph from her back pocket and examined the cheery faces of her foster parents. No matter how unrelated they are she would never, ever call anyone else her parents for they were the ones who accepted her and brought her up. Looking at the photograph brought a smile to her face. Unintentionally, she flipped the photograph around to look at the back, to her surprise; she saw words that she doesn't recall writing on the back.

_I have them._

_I'll have you before 6 tomorrow or Hell shall have them. _

_Sincerely, _

_Orochimaru. _

Before she could break into a wild reaction, she heard the door close.

Temari looked up to find Pein looking down at her. She was about to beg Pein to help her parents but Pein beat her to it.

"Where is it?" he asked sternly, "where is the key?"

"Pein, you have to help me-"

"The key, Temari."

"Pein, please-"

"THE KEY."

"P-"

"THE KEY."

Temari pulled out the chain from her pocket and handed it to him, "have the stupid key. Pein, you have to help me-"

"Is this the key?" Pein asked as he examined the key charm on the necklace, "are you sure?"

"Yes, I am sure," she argued eagerly, "you have to help me-"

"I really don't like guessing games Temari," Pein interrupted her for the hundredth time, "but I guess I can't avoid this one since you refuse to tell me the truth."

Temari sensed where this was heading but before she could get up and grab on to Pein before he left the room, he slammed the door in her face locking her in the room.

No matter how much she banged the door or screamed for Kakashi and Anko, no one responded for the door is a sound proof one. She looked around the room, desperately trying to find a way to escape or at least a way to contact her friends, but there was nothing but a bed and a few commodities present to aid her.

"FUCK!" she hollered helplessly.

She tried to push open the door by running into it but all she got was a bruised shoulder. Temari glanced at the clock and realized that it's already close to midnight; every minute that passed brings her parents closer and closer to dying.

"KAKASHI! ANKO!" she screamed in vain, "HELP!"

No help came.

Temari isn't the kind of girl that would beg for help, she has too much pride for that. But when she has to choose between her pride or her parents, it would be a no brainer. And as she slumps down against her bed, she can't help but feel more helpless than she did the last time she was at Suna; engaged to be married to Itachi.

She wished she had enough hope in her to convince herself that everything would turn out fine, but somehow, after the incredible turn of events, she has been drenched of all the hope and possibility.

Then she thought about the blind Tenten and how she would cope with the loss of her biological parents. That thought was enough to make Temari break down in tears- something Temari claims of not being able to do.

* * *

A vibration shook him awake. Sasuke tried to reach out to stop his phone from the ruckus it was creating but he soon found out that he isn't able to move a limb. That discovery itself is enough to completely wake the Uchiha.

Apparently, the others present didn't expect his consciousness in the room; they gasped when he woke.

Sasuke found himself strapped to a metallic chair like structure with a metal bowl attached to his head. In front of him stood a group of people dressed in white coats and holding on to clipboards.

"What do we do?" one of them asked, "he's awake! We never encountered this problem with the other two!"

"Other two?" Sasuke thought as his eyes wandered across the room.

From the corner of his eye he spots Juugo sitting in a chair next to his in a similar state. He recognized Suigetsu and Karin lying unconscious on the metal tables behind the men in white.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO THEM?" Sasuke growled.

"What we're trying to do to you; erase the memories you had of the cryptext," one of the braver men in white said, "please cooperate, we don't know what side effects carrying out this procedure on conscious patient would entail."

Sasuke tried to struggle out of the chair but the straps tightly bound his arms and legs to the chair. He thought fast and figured that his only way of breaking loose form this would be to wake Juugo up.

"JUUGO!" he hollered, "JUUGO WAKE THE FUCK UP!"

The men in white tried to shush him but didn't make any attempt to go up to them.

"JUUGO!"

Sasuke could've leaped for joy when he witness Juugo stir. Juugo's react made the other men panic as they were aware that the bigger man would be able to break out of the pathetic chair in a heartbeat.

"JUUGO!"

* * *

"S, Nara solved it."

Ms S got up from her seat and face the reported, "are you sure?"

"The signal transmitter Nakamura attached to Nara says so."

"Has he told anyone the solution?" she asked.

"No, he fell asleep from the extreme fatigue," the reported said, "we should initiate the operation now."

Ms S nodded and pulled out her cellphone, "Danzo, please dispatch a team to the Nara Residence, we have a memory to wipe clear."

"Nara Residence?" he asked, amused, "we're using his own invention against him? Brilliant."

* * *

"Danzo," Orochimaru said as he entered the man's office in the government building, "here are _the documents_."

They can never be too sure of their privacy in the government building so Danzo instructed Orochimaru to use the term 'documents' to refer to the cryptexts.

When they finally found and assembled the cryptext, Danzo felt it would be necessary to safely keep the cryptext away from potential danger. Thus, he would be flying to America with the cryptext to store it in one of the safe holding banks where no one would be able to find it.

Danzo took it from Orochimaru's grasp calmly and unsealed the envelope to examine it contents. Without taking them out he nodded and smiled to Orochimaru commending him for his good efforts. Before Orochimaru could turn to leave, though, Danzo stopped him.

"We've solved it Orochimaru," he said quietly, "Nara solved it."

Orochimaru turned to face Danzo bearing a unfazed expression, "I suppose you're going to wipe him memory clean too. What about the others that has seen the code?"

Danzo shook his head, "I won't touch them. After all, the significance of the code is merely that of a test to them. Now, your remaining job would be to catch hold of Sabaku No Temari," he paused himself, "or rather, Temari _Ten_. She here, in Konoha, I can see past the lies her brother and her boyfriend spins."

Orochimaru simply smirked, "I have that all under control. I just ordered Zabuza and Haku to kidnap her foster parents-"

"WHAT?" Danzo half yelled at the man, "DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH TROUBLE THAT WOULD BE FOR ME TO COVER UP?"

"Much trouble it would be," Orochimaru muttered slightly offending by Danzo's yelling, "but it would reap benefits that's worth all the trouble."

"I had to cover up for your little kidnapping scheme of the four kids and after that, I had to falsely create four personalities to reenroll them into their school for just one day," Danzo complained, "Orochimaru, you better know what you're doing."

Before Orochimaru could retort with a definitive statement to reinstate Danzo's trust in him, he received a phone call that he wasn't expecting. It was from the hide out reporting to him the distressing information that Uchiha Sasuke managed to escape from the place before anything can be done to wipe his memory.

Not wanting Danzo to suspect his abilities, Orochimaru remained calm and hung up. He returned his attention to the expectant Danzo who asked him what the phone was about.

"It was Zabuza," Orochimaru lied, "he was reporting the progress of the Tens capture. Danzo, I have to go now, apparently Zabuza and Haku have encountered some kind of problem."

It didn't take Orochimaru long to return to the hideout since it was too early to Konoha to wake. When he got to the location, he was shocked to find Juugo's dead body on the ground, Suigetsu's and Karin's unconscious bodies lying on one side of the room and a group of timid scientists crowded at the other.

"Is he dead?" Orochimaru asked the scientists as he kicked Juugo's limp body with his leg, "how did this happen?"

One of the leading scientists stepped forth to offer and explanation.

_When Juugo became fully conscious he easily detached himself from the chair, the scientists, upon witnessing Juugo's brute strength stood back and watched as Juugo released Sasuke from his chair. _

"_CALL OROCHIMARU!" one of the scientist hollered. _

_Juugo and Sasuke glanced at each other and then to the two unconscious beings further away. _

"_This is not Orochimaru's hideout, the antidote isn't here. You must get out of here and find an exit," Juugo instructed, "I'll get those two and follow your path. If he miss each other, we would meet at the river 6 miles due east from here." _

_Without further questioning, Sasuke fled from the site rather easily without disruption from the scientists. However, unfortunately for Juugo he wasn't able to execute his part of the plan as smoothly; as he made his way to the two, one of the braver scientists threw a bucket of water on to him in hope of stopping him. _

_Unfazed, Juugo ignored the attempted and continued to make his way to Suigetsu and Karin. It would've went well if it weren't for the meddling of another scientist; he stepped forth and threw a bare cable to Juugo's direction. When the wires made contact with his damp skin and hooked itself onto his clothing, Juugo received a electric shock wave too strong to survive through. _

_Within seconds, they had Juugo lying dead on the floor. _

"We can still catch up to Uchiha," the scientist offered, "we know where he's headed to."

Orochimaru shook his head, "no, it's too late for that now. We have to activate the serum."

"But that would kill him!"

Orochimaru glanced at Juugo's dead body, "it is the same amount of effort to cover up for two deaths as to covering up for one."

* * *

_BEEP BEEP BEEP_

Sakura jolted up from her sleeping position in response to the alarming sound coming from the computer. She got up from her spot on the spinning chair and lazily walked to the computer glowing brightly amidst the darkness.

The screen displayed a detailed map of Konoha, however, there was a flashing red dot in the forest. It took Sakura a while to process what it meant, but when she did, she wasted no time and dashed out of the house without informing anyone else.

"Sasuke," she thought as she started Neji's car parked conveniently outside the house, "I'm coming."

* * *

According to Orochimaru's orders, the scientists are suppose to transport Suigetsu and Karin back to their homes so that they'll wake up the following day with absolutely no peeking suspicion of their involvement with the cryptexts.

Suigetsu's body was relatively easier to handle as they simple had to transport it back to his apartment, correct the dates on his calendar, restock his food supplies and amend any signs of vacancy in the apartment.

However, in Karin's case, they had to clear the apartment of bloodstains and any sign of struggle found on damaged furniture as well as to clear out some of her vanity products as if she had been using it daily since she was robbed from her home.

When Karin and Suigetsu woke up hours after the scientists left, everything that occurred from the first mentioning of the cryptext up to yesterday never occurred in their memory.

Suigetsu and Karin never met.

* * *

He didn't know how long he took, but Sasuke just kept running and running and running even though his legs were worn numb. Every so often he would turn around to check if anyone is following him and to keep a look out for Juugo. He didn't expect too much out of that guy, after all, Juugo would be tailing him with two dead-like bodies with him.

Somewhere along the way, Sasuke started to wander if he got the right direction thus explaining how Juugo hasn't appeared after such a long time. He would stop and check the compass on his phone- south- and he'd continue running.

It has occurred to Sasuke to call for help but when he did, none of his phone calls seemed to get through. Then he realized he got an email from the telecomm services claiming that his line has been cut- so no calls, no texts, no Internet, no communication. Orochimaru thought of every possibility.

It was about an hour's run to the river and when he finally reached it, he knelt down and devoured whatever water his hands are able to scoop up. Sasuke collapsed at the riverbank and panted like he's hyperventilating.

Sasuke only got a few minutes of rest before another kind of pain struck him- the effects of the serum. He winced and rolled around the dirty as the pain slowly spread all over his body. Sasuke held on to his abdomen when he felt the foreign substance invading his organs. Though Sasuke is not trained in first aid in any way, he knew that this kind of pain isn't a natural pain; he knew the serum is working in his body.

It hit him that Juugo would be similarly affected by the serum and thus, wouldn't be able to make it to the riverbank to meet him.

He never envisioned his death to be anything so dramatic and… lonely. He'd always thought he'd die of old age in the comforts of his home. But lying on the riverbank and struggling to ease the pain somehow proved him wrong.

Juugo isn't coming.

Neither Suigetsu nor Karin was coming.

He'll be all alone this time.

As he rolled about the ground, he caught sight of his reflection on the surface of the river. He stopped there and stared at himself despite the pain. Sasuke saw that the once handsome, masculine and cool young man has degraded to the likes of a weak, pale and dying young boy.

Sasuke didn't flinch when he heard a car driving through the uneven land of the forest or when the car pulled up near by. All that occupied his thoughts is the boy in the river.

Amidst the self-loathing and depression, he caught sight of another reflection on the river's surface- Sakura's. It shocked him greatly to see her in the water and it shook him to a greater degree to hear her voice calling out his name.

"Sasuke?" she murmured, "is that you?"

He panicked. Just seeing himself in the river revolts him, he doesn't want Sakura to have any of that.

"Go away Sakura," he says with a strong, uninviting tone.

Sakura knelt down behind him and twined her arms around his waist, hugging Sasuke from his back. He felt her warmth seeping through his dirty clothes and staining his icy cold blood. Sasuke shifted his hand to hold on to one of Sakura's hands placed on his chest.

"Where have you been?" she cried into his shirt.

"To hell and back," he muttered noticing his voice come out hoarse, "and it looks like my time back would be a short one."

Sakura released him and forced him to turn around to look at her. Reluctantly, Sasuke gave in and got up to face her.

He hasn't changed much since she last saw him in the school, the only noticeably difference about him is that he isn't Kimimaro and that his skin has paled beyond belief. Just by looking at how it seems almost translucent gave Sakura the chills; she felt as if his touch would be like frost in the summer.

"We have to get you to the hospital," she argued as she tried to pull him towards the car.

He didn't budge. The pain wasn't the one stopping him though; it was the hopelessness of it. Sasuke let go of her hand and laid down flat on the ground.

"I can die any moment now," he muttered weakly, "I can feel myself dying."

Sakura wiped off the tears that were rolling down her cheeks, "that's why we have to go now!"

"We won't make it Sakura," Sasuke snapped, "just let me be."

Sakura knelt down beside him and took his hand, "I can't let you be! You might to die, but I don't want you to. Don't leave me Sasuke. Please."

"Do you think of me?" Sasuke asked earnestly as he looking into Sakura's teary eyes.

Sakura nodded causing a few drops of her tears to fall onto Sasuke, "all the time. All the fucking time."

"Then I won't ever leave you."

Sakura released a fresh batch of tears as she buried her face in Sasuke's chest. He brought his arm up and stroked along her spine ever so gently.

"Does it hurt?" Sakura asked.

"Its exactly how I imagined dying would feel," Sasuke said, "lie next to me."

Sakura obeyed and laid next to Sasuke. He wound his arm around her neck and she buried her face in the crook of his neck breathing in the familiar scent he always held. Sasuke pulled her close enough to feel the heat from her body brushing against his skin and the feel the consistency in the palpitation of her heart whilst his was dying away.

In the event of Sasuke's death, Sakura and Sasuke shared a moment they should've shared a long time ago; they shared a moment of silence and peacefulness that was shrouded with nothing but thoughts of what had been great and wonderful about their lives. They came to realize that they were given many chances and yet took them for granted and only when they're about to lose something do they truly understand the value of it.

"At least you have a fairytale ending," Sasuke commented breaking the silence, he felt as his heartbeat neared a deadly halt, "_A pair of star-crossed lovers_…"

Sakura cried, "we were never meant to be."

"But I'll love you anyway, my dear Sakura."

* * *

"_Missing teenagers Suigetsu and Karin have mysteriously been recovered in their apartment with absolutely no recollection of what had happened to them. We'll now move on to Hozuki Suigetsu's apartment with our representative Okubo. Okubo please-"_

"_This is Okubo reporting live from Hozuki Suigetsu's apartment. A few months ago, Suigetsu was one of the teenagers suspected of being kidnapped by a notorious sex trafficking ring in Konoha. Today, the landlord found him in his apartment when he heard some strange sounds coming from Suigetsu's apartment. _

"_Suigetsu can you explain to us what had happened to you these past few months?" _

"_I… I don't remember, I felt as if I've only been sleeping all this while but yet I still feel *beep* worn." _

"_Do you honestly have no recollection of the previous events or are you… sworn into secrecy?" _

"_Sworn into secrecy? What? *beep* no. I'd like to find out what has been happening all this while too. This is *beep* up man… Gosh." _

"_There you have it, Suigetsu has completely no idea what has been happening to him these past few months. We'll now be going over to Shumi over at the other victim's apartment. This is Okubo reporting live from Hozuki Suigetsu's apartment. Over." _

* * *

"Where do you want me to take your body?" Sakura asked quietly as she laid her head against Sasuke's chest, her superfluous tears drenching his shirt.

"I don't really care."

* * *

"_Hi, I am Shumi reporting live from Karin's apartment for the Daily News, it appears that her neighbors found it strange that Karin's vacated house has been producing some odd noises this morning and they called the police to investigate. Turns out, we do not find a dead body like they did the previous time they were called to the scene, instead, they found a teenager sleeping soundly in her bed. Now I have to my right, Karin._

"_Karin, would you care to shed some light on your whereabouts these past few months?" _

"_I… I don't know what I have been doing… the dreamless sleep seemed to stretch so far back I don't even recall going to bed." _

"_Very unusual it seems, very similar to that of the previous victim we just interviewed. Since you were before, supposedly, kidnapped by the same group of people, I'm guessing you'd be well acquainted with Hozuki Suigetsu?" _

"_Hozuki who?" _

"_Well, she appears to-"_

Ino switched off the television after hearing what she needs to hear. She turns to Hinata and Tenten sitting on the dining table desperately trying to contact Sakura. When they woke up today morning to discover that Sakura's gone, Ino demanded Sai and Shino to go out and look for her in case she might be in danger. When Neji stepped out of the house to discover his car is missing, he decided to join in the search party leaving Ino, Hinata and Tenten at home.

Hinata panicked for a moment for fear that she wouldn't be able to see Sakura before leaving for America the next day. Tenten feared that Sakura might've been kidnapped like how Ino was and Ino felt that it was very uncharacteristic of Sakura to leave without saying anything.

They have been searching for hours and hours and it was nearing the afternoon. Sakura has been missing for over five hours.

Ino wanted to lodge a police report but Neji advised her against it for it might just put Sakura in greater danger.

Just as Ino was about to grab her coat, leave the house and join the search party the doorbell rang. Sensing it either be one of the boys with information, Ino ran for door and swung it open. Instead, she found a dirty Sakura with a tear infested face and a shaken expression.

"Sasuke's dead."

* * *

"We have to tell the police!" Neji argued with a slightly aggressive tone, "SASUKE IS FUCKING DEAD!"

That sent Sakura into another crying spree with waterfalls flowing out of her eyes.

After breaking the news to the brothers, Sakura still held the record for being the most emotional about Sasuke's departure. The brothers were depressed as well, but they kept it in, Sai especially. The two others were more pissed than sad.

"We can't let them know," Sakura spoke up after a while, "Sasuke told me they've already erased Suigetsu and Karin's memories. If we alert the police, they might link the two cases and just ruin the start of their brand new lives."

"Fuck Suigetsu and Karin!" Neji cried angrily, "this is Sasuke we're talking about Sakura. Sasuke is dead!"

"OH MY FUCK. I KNOW," Sakura yelled back, her eyes just overflowing with tears, "but that was what he wanted, that was what he demanded from me please respect that."

Neji threw his hands up in the air in utter frustration. While he wanted to fulfill his brother's final wish, he also wanted to seek vengeance for him. This seems all to surreal to him; his brother is dead. The boy he grew up with is dead. Neji felt a hand on his shoulder, he turns to realize that it's Tenten's and at that moment, Neji could not help but feel so disbelieved about their current plight.

In the background, Ino was holding on to Sai who was struggling to cope with the influx of emotions from the first death he's feeling while Hinata and Shino have been standing at the side quietly grieving.

Sakura's sniffing softened and she wiped off her tears with the back of her hands. She glanced up at everyone who gave her their attention. She bore a fiercely determined face and nodded at all of them.

"Hinata's leaving tomorrow," she said softly, "let's prepare to bid her farewell."

Loss. Loss: there is just too many.

Unbeknownst to them, there are more lives at stake here.

* * *

"It looks like dear Temari isn't coming after all," Zabuza said as her watched the time, "well, we'll still have to keep up with our end of the bargain, Haku."

The boy next to him nodded and paced slowly towards the two figures bound to chairs and blindfolded. He tore of the blindfolds one by one to reveal the faces of their captors.

Mr. and Mrs. Ten were puzzled to find faces that were unfamiliar to them. Being gagged, they weren't able to plead for freedom or ever ask why they're in their current predicament. They could only watched in horror as Zabuza and Haku took position in front of each of them and aimed a gun to their faces.

A clock at the side rang; signaling the arrival of six o'clock.

Two gunshots were heard.

Temari could not do anything about it.

* * *

The scientists laid Shikamaru back into his bed gently and did the same for the butler. Before leaving, they were careful enough to remove any evidence and rip off the foolscap sheet Shikamaru made all his findings on.

Their job was done.

* * *

A/N: Ah~ Chapter 25 is done! I'm sorry about Sasuke's death, but really, this is not the last you'd read about him! Fret not! He'll come up sooner or later! Remember we still have no idea what secrets the highly coveted book is keeping! Yeah! Thanks for all the support and love!


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